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Beyond the Gnat Line
 By Cathy Hall
First off, let me just say that I love
Georgia. I really do.
But there’s one thing that bugs me
just the teensiest, weensiest bit. It starts
with G and ends with T, which stands
for trouble. I’m talking bug trouble,
my friends. Gnats, to be exact.
Now, if you’ve stayed put in what
I like to call the Gnat-Free Zone of
Georgia, you are blissfully unaware
of what life on the other side of the
Gnat Line is like. I, on the other hand,
have lived from one end of Georgia to the other. I know gnats. So when I
arrived down in South Georgia for a
golf tournament, I waltzed into town
with a smug, bug attitude.
Here’s the thing. When you’ve
lived with gnats, I mean on a day-in,
day-out basis, you don’t notice the
varmints. Gnats, after all, are your
constant companions. You might even
name a few. Say, Buzza or Zuzie.
If you’ve lived in the Gnat Zone,
you get used to gnats being served in
your iced tea. You think that buzzing
sound in your ears is normal. And
you especially don’t bother with bug
spray. Lord, you can’t afford that
luxury! Better to perfect your “gnat
wave,” that seasonal hand-flapping
gesture used to shoo gnats from your
face to your neighbor’s nose. (I’m
pretty sure that’s the cause of carpal
tunnel syndrome in all those folks in
the bottom half of the state.)
Anyway, when a North Georgia
Mom at the tournament asked if I’d
like some bug spray, I just laughed.
“Oh, I’m fine,” I said, poohpoohing
that expensive can of insect
repellent. But “I’m fine,” must have
sounded like “Come and get it!” to
Buzza, Zuzie and friends. It took about
two minutes for the South Georgia
Gnat Association to welcome me with
open wings.
Oh, I still loved my visit down to
South Georgia. But I was glad to get
home where a body can enjoy the
great outdoors, gnat-free.
By the way, if anybody has a bug
spray for all these North Georgia ticks,
I’d sure appreciate it.
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Cathy Hall is a freelance
writer who loves to get
published. Read her blog at
cathychall.blogspot.com
if you want to find out
where she meets Fame and
Fortune along the way.
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