Ladybugs

I saw a ladybug today. No I didn’t. I was going to lie just to get into this thought that I just had. I don’t know why I did that. I apologize for lying. I didn’t see a ladybug today.

They say ladybugs are good luck or something, right? I don’t remember. Let me look it up.

Yep, I was right. They say ladybugs are good luck. There are differing opinions on how to measure the luck, though. Some say if a ladybug lands on you, count the spots to find out how many years of good luck you’ll have, while others say the number of spots informs you how many months there are until your your greatest wishes come true. Who knows, it could all be a bunch of bullshit. Or it could be true. People like having things to believe in.

Anyway, I say all that because today in the car I was reminded of a song I sang once.

That’s another lie. I was not actually reminded of this song until after I had the idea to put this other little song on this blog. I don’t know what’s with me today. Forgive me, I’ll be more reliable in the future.

Anyway, I once did a staged reading of a musical version of “James and the Giant Peach” when I was in high school. Paul Williams had written the music and in one song I, as James, sang “Ladybug ladybug, fly away home. Is that part of a song? Is that part of a poem?”

So one day I’m walking around my parents’ house and I’m singing that song and my grandma goes, “I know that song! We used to sing it when we were kids!” So I asked her to sing it for me and this was her version:

“Ladybug ladybug fly away home. Your house is on fire and your children are burning.”

Seriously. That was her version. Grandma was one of one.

-J.P.