Where's Waldo?

There are bushes out in front of this building.  Spirea.  Pink.  Not my favorite color but I didn't plant them.  They get trimmed, the surrounding area weeded, new mulch, the flowers dead-headed, gum and cigarette butts picked up. 

One day, I'm sure I was taking a break, I noticed we had a visitor.  A praying mantis.  He stood stock still, not moving, waiting for lunch while blending in with the greenery.  Cool.

Another day and another break, I walked up and down the sidewalk looking to see if the visitor was still with us.  Not in the same bush but he was there.  It took me a while to spot him.

Apparently, as the days went by, people were noticing what I was doing.  Mostly staring at the bushes.  The elderly when they would come in for lunch started looking.  The J.E.T.S. drivers starting looking.  It became a game on who could spot him at different times of the day.  He didn't always stay in the same bush as when first spotted early in the day.  We dubbed him Waldo.  Seemed fitting.

When people are standing on the sidewalk, peering into bushes and pointing, even more people begin to wonder what is going on.  The man who lives in the house across the street would watch us when he was outside taking his "break".  He came over and asked what we were looking at.  I explained to him about Waldo.  When he would take his walk, he'd come over and look for himself trying to find him.

Fall then winter came and I'm sure he went to praying mantis heaven.  No one really knew what happens to them.

I discovered two egg cases.  I pointed them out to Matt.  We may cut the branches off and bring them in the office to hatch(?).  Of course, what would they eat?  Maybe each other. Survival of the fittest.  Our imaginations went wild. We figured if we douse the last one with gamma rays, loud rock music, maybe acid or other drugs to promote some sort of mutation, we could have a Mega Mantis!  It would be the beginnings of another sad SyFy Channel movie.  An eight foot tall mantis lopping off heads and sucking the juice out. 

Wonder if he'll do what we say or if everyone would be at risk? 

We have this copyrighted so don't even think about it!