A Visitor, Very Early One Morning

I went down to the kitchen early one morning and found him waiting for me – perched on my favourite cup, which I got from one of those rainforest tours.



I said “Hi, hello there, what have we got here?”
                                              
                             He said “ Hello, I’m Mantis, how are you?”

(Thoughts ran through my mind – I had just bought the camera then. Well, here’s my first great opportunity to test how good the Canon 550D is, or rather how good my photography is. I moved Mantis to a wooden ladle for better shots, and ran as quickly as I could up the staircase to grab no, gently but quickly take the camera out of the bag).


“I am fine, how are you?” I asked my uninvited guest, while fumbling and struggling to select one of the 14, yes fourteen 'modes' on the camera, hoping that it would be the correct one for the shots I was about to take, and wishing that he would stay a while longer.

“I am fine too, but rather hungry" he said. " Had been scouring this whole place for something to eat but you have kept it too clean. No food leftovers at all” Mantis said, making animated movements with his head and spiked forelegs.

“No problem, we can fix that”, I said. I opened the fridge and took out a strip of spring onion and put to Mantis’s mouth. He didn’t seem to like it. Then I took a piece of cabbage and let him chew.

“Do you prefer this one?” I asked. Mantis said “Hmm… not bad, but I like insects and bugs better”. I said “Good, then you can help me get rid of the pests around here”.



All of a sudden Mantis stopped chewing and stood head down, very still, all the animated movements completely gone. He was all quiet. I knew then, Mantis was praying.