By Daniel Rigney
Gov. Rick Perry's persistent prayers for an end to severe drought in Texas were finally answered in Houston last week, when the heavens opened and sent a torrent of rain to parched earthlings in this metropolitan community of six million.
A week or so after the brief floodstorm, local mosquitoes hatched and swarmed, stabbing their tiny hypodermics into the hides of residents and taking generous blood samples.
Soon after the swarming began, metaphorical analysts were on the scene surveying possibilities and looking for Larger Themes. Screenwriters from as far away as the San Fernando Valley were fanning out in search of commercially viable script opportunities. Vampire buffs were organizing pilgrimages to the Carbon City, some dressed in Halloween mosquito costumes with iconic black Dracula capes.
Amateur biblical scholars scoured the news for signs, portents, and confirmations of ancient prophecy. Meanwhile, Fox News reporters looked for evidence of the swarm's possible links to the Democratic Party.
Tabloids followed the story ravenously, announcing that “Houston is Being Devoured!” in a "Bloodthirty Attack!" Cable television networks were on the scene looking for crime and conspiracy angles. Pepsi and Raid were in town scouting possible commercial tie-ins.
Most locals shrugged off the national media attention, though a few seemed itching to tell their stories to reporters. But one retiring school teacher would say only that Houstonians have a name for such events. “We call them Tuesdays.”
Gov. Rick Perry's persistent prayers for an end to severe drought in Texas were finally answered in Houston last week, when the heavens opened and sent a torrent of rain to parched earthlings in this metropolitan community of six million.
A week or so after the brief floodstorm, local mosquitoes hatched and swarmed, stabbing their tiny hypodermics into the hides of residents and taking generous blood samples.
Soon after the swarming began, metaphorical analysts were on the scene surveying possibilities and looking for Larger Themes. Screenwriters from as far away as the San Fernando Valley were fanning out in search of commercially viable script opportunities. Vampire buffs were organizing pilgrimages to the Carbon City, some dressed in Halloween mosquito costumes with iconic black Dracula capes.
Amateur biblical scholars scoured the news for signs, portents, and confirmations of ancient prophecy. Meanwhile, Fox News reporters looked for evidence of the swarm's possible links to the Democratic Party.
Tabloids followed the story ravenously, announcing that “Houston is Being Devoured!” in a "Bloodthirty Attack!" Cable television networks were on the scene looking for crime and conspiracy angles. Pepsi and Raid were in town scouting possible commercial tie-ins.
Most locals shrugged off the national media attention, though a few seemed itching to tell their stories to reporters. But one retiring school teacher would say only that Houstonians have a name for such events. “We call them Tuesdays.”
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