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Chiggers

Payback Time

By Randy Wayne Jellison-KnockPublished 3 years ago 1 min read
Chigger, on the tip of a finger. Nearly invisible, unless gathering in vast numbers on something like concrete, in which case they will turn it into an undulating sea of red. Source: offthegridnews.com

My siblings & I are South Dakota born & bred.

Chiggers? Never heard of them. Not until we toured the Southeast singing gospel concerts.

My brothers? Sunbathing enthusiasts. That vibrantly verdant church lawn? Inviting.

Not even a towel.

Itching began as we started singing. Ninety minutes later, final chords yet hanging in the air, they bolted for cold showers.

Called mom (frequent victim of their practical jokes), asking how to get rid of them.

“You can’t. When the itching stops, they’re laying eggs. This is forever.”

Like she’d been lying in wait.

familyHumorShort StoryYoung Adult

About the Creator

Randy Wayne Jellison-Knock

Retired Ordained Elder in The United Methodist Church having served for a total of 30 years in Missouri, South Dakota & Kansas.

Born in Watertown, SD on 9/26/1959. Married to Sandra Jellison-Knock on 1/24/1986. One son, Keenan, deceased.

Reader insights

Outstanding

Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!

Top insights

  1. Excellent storytelling

    Original narrative & well developed characters

  2. Easy to read and follow

    Well-structured & engaging content

  3. Eye opening

    Niche topic & fresh perspectives

  1. Masterful proofreading

    Zero grammar & spelling mistakes

  2. Compelling and original writing

    Creative use of language & vocab

  3. On-point and relevant

    Writing reflected the title & theme

  4. Expert insights and opinions

    Arguments were carefully researched and presented

  5. Heartfelt and relatable

    The story invoked strong personal emotions

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Comments (8)

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  • Stephen Kramer Avitabile3 years ago

    Oh no! It was written with humor and I laughed... but I also itched... it was almost like a horror as well! Loved this one.

  • Amelia3 years ago

    aw jeez. i love this but i hate it. how dare you! really well done, but gross! totally creeped me out haha. i like your structure of this. really gives the impression of a full story by splitting up the lines, great work!!

  • That's a big NOPE! Totally creepy!

  • Roy Stevens3 years ago

    Haha, revenge of the mom! Chiggers are unpleasant little critters though! Great punchline Randy!

  • Gina C.3 years ago

    Oh my gosh. This is frightening! Now I have to add chiggers to my list of "no's", LOL 😅

  • Donna Renee3 years ago

    Hahahah oh my gosh, she really won the long game! 🤣

  • Bren3 years ago

    Well, I now know what chiggers are - sounds a lot like scabies and I wouldn't wish that anyone. Nice work!

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