SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE

Last Sunday night I went out for a bike ride. I had been in most of the afternoon, snoozing and sort of watching a movie when I thought I would stretch my legs and take Amelia for a walk. It was such a beautiful night! I was missing it, enclosed in my little cocoon of a living room. So I dropped Ami off, picked my bike up and headed down the waterfront trail. There had been rain on and off and more to come but at this point there was a break in the clouds with an incredibly blue, freshly-washed sky and gorgeous cloud formations as the last bit of rain headed out and you could see rumours of more in the distance. Apparently, I was not the only one taking advantage of the golden evening light by the water. Everywhere I looked, Shiny Happy People. I have that song on my I-pod/I-pad and it just stuck in my head as I pedalled by. 
"Shiny Happy People laughing
Meet me in the crowd, people, people
Throw your love around, love me, love me
Take it into town, happy, happy
Put it in the ground where the flowers grow
Gold and silver shine
Shiny happy people, holding hands, shiny happy people holding hands"
I zoom by a co-worker, hand in hand with her lover. "HEY!, See you tomorrow!!"
I zoom by an older couple, complete with matching walkers
I zoom by two young women, one pushing a stroller with a happy baby. Maybe these two are not so happy as they are discussing the faults of various men....
I zoom by singles working on keeping their weight off, or taking their dogs out. Dogs, especially those out for a walk, are ALWAYS  happy. It's one of the things I love about them.
So, I'm enjoying the weather, the bike ride, the love and camarderie of my fellow Bellevillians as I cruise by. It is a good, cultural, connected feeling. 
But then, it happens.... I look down as I'm humming my Shiny Happy People tune and there hanging by a thread is, I'm sure, a black widow spider. It is black, big and has some sort of mark on its back. Not good people, not good. It is there just blowing in the breeze tagging along with me on my bike ride. The scenerio was kind of like..
"Shiny Happy People holding...AAAAGGGHHH!!!!!"
Of course, I immediately remove my left hand from the handlebar and consider how to stop the bike with one hand, get off and get away. Ms. Spider's thread continues to get longer so she is now a lot closer to my pumping, freaking out legs than to my hand. I decide to take the risk and swipe at the invisible thread, praying to God above that BWS does not land on me in the process. God above, knowing this is a lovely evening for me and does not want to ruin it, abides by my prayer and the black widow spider exits from my bike ride. Whew.....sigh of relief and my heart starts to slow down. 
No one noticed my little freak-out session. They are all still shiny, happy people, laughing and holding hands.