TMW-Bees Do Bite

Looks like we might get some honey......

One of the reasons I like living in rural country is the feeling of being in the middle of nature. Planting a vegetable garden, watching it grow. The sounds of farm animals and the humming of honey bees.  I like driving by farms with the rows of beehive houses.

My neighbor on the right has beehive houses.  Sometimes I see him dressed in his protection suit, holding a plate up so the sun shines through, an intense look on his face.  A look I recognize too well.

Alton Manley is a greedy man.  He never has enough of anything, be it honey, money or land.  He will do anything to get what he wants, no matter the pain or humiliation he causes.

I had only been in my new home a week when I personally met Alton.  I was out for my morning walk when I saw him working with his beehives, he looked up as I walked past. I smiled and waved.

On my return he was waiting at the fence for me, "You bought the old Miller place, how much you want to sell it for".

I put out my hand to shake his, "My name is Millie, Millie Post".

He ignored my outstretched hand, "Alton Manley. How much you want for your place?"

"It's not for sell." And continued on the quarter mile to my house.

I soon began to walk a different route and if I saw him first, I tried to find somewhere to hide.  No matter how many times I told him, "it's not for sell", he never listened.

Lily, another woman in the community, and I soon became best friends. She taught me how to can and freeze my vegetables.  She informed me that Andrew Miller, whom I bought the farm from, and Alton had a falling out over something that only they knew about.  Since then, they had become enemies and were always trying to one up each other.  When Andrew decided to sell his farm, Alton had made an offer, but was refused.  The rumor was that Alton tried to run Andrew down with his truck, but there were no witnesses.

I began to notice items missing, little things at first, such as small tools.  Then fencing began to be torn down.

"Lily, I'm telling you I think it's Alton."

"Millie, you're probably right. You might call in the Sheriff and make him aware of what's going on."

I called the Sheriff and he came out to look around.

"Millie, I'll go and have a talk with Alton, though I don't know if it will do any good." He stood there looking across the field at Alton's place.  He's a strange man, did you know he's allergic to bees?"

Now that was an interesting tidbit of news.

Two days later, Lily called me, "Millie, have you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"Alton was gathering honey from his beehives, when bees got inside his clothing and stung him.  Mason Whitmire, you know the man that helps Alton, said it was the strangest sight.  First Alton held up the wax covered with honey bees. He made the statement, "Looks like we might get some honey".  Mason said the next instant he threw it down and started slapping his sides, his back, then he twisted and turned, all that commotion stirred up the bees. Then Alton took off running to the house.  Mason said he made it to the gate, before he fell over onto the ground.  By the time he caught up with Alton, he realized he was dead.  Died from bee stings."

It was a good thing Lily couldn't see through the phone as I stood there smiling to myself, "My goodness.  That's such a shame."

Lily continued as though I hadn't said anything, "You know, Millie, Alton is usually so careful with his protection suit. I just don't see how he was stung. It surely is odd."

After I hung up the phone, I walked over to the kitchen window and looked at Alton's farm, yes, it surely is odd.  At least I won't have to avoid him anymore.  Did you know that a bee can take a needle size hole and squirm it's way through? I bet Alton didn't think much about those pin holes in his suit.