Bats in our Belfry!!

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Well, they WOULD have been in our belfry if we had one.

Instead, they were right inside our church, clinging to the stone wall, right up near the very peak of the cathedral ceiling.


I came through from my KIDDs class just in time to SEE the excitement. Unfortunately, I never once thought of getting my camera to RECORD that excitement - - - so you will just have to use your imaginations and make do with my googled images.

There were two of them - - - bats I mean. They were clinging upside down for dear life right up by the peak of the ceiling and directly above the communion table. I suppose that wanted to take their Holy Communion before Easter or something.

Just as I walked in, one of them let go of that wall and took a swooping dive right down into the center of the sanctuary. I must confess, I let out a yelp of fear.


Immediately I saw the CAUSE of their disruption. My friend Vernon, pictured here with his wife Sharon, was trying to get rid of them.

Thankfully Sharon was not there to WITNESS this procedure, or she may have died of fright for


Vernon was atop a ladder far taller than this one and was trying to CAPTURE those bats with his hands.

I'd say his BARE hands, but that would be to tell a lie, for the man is smart enough to NOT grab a bat in his bare hands.


No, his hands were carefully covered in thick work gloves.

Anyway - - - back to our batty tale.

One of the bats crawled quickly away, into a tiny crack between the ceiling and the wall and HE lived to return another day.

But the bat that had swooped down into the sanctuary above my head, returned to the wall, directly above Vernon's bald and uncovered head.

I couldn't help myself - - - I called out for Vernon to be careful!!! (Well, Sharon wasn't there - - - SOMEONE had to play the role of the nagging wife.)

Deft as anything, Vernon reached out that gloved hand of his and captured that bat. He held it firmly in his grip and began to descend that tall shaking ladder bringing Mr. Bat with him, Mr. Bat emitting those squeaking sonar sounds of his all the way.

The nagging wife in me came to the surface AGAIN as Vernon was walking across the sanctuary toward the foyer door.

"Are you going to release him or send him to Heaven?" queried I. "Because if you release him he'll just come back in."

Vernon gave me his little crooked grin, said nothing, and disappeared into the rest room where I presume Mr. Bat FAILED at his swimming lessons in the swirling porcelain pool and went to Heaven right then and there.

And here I thought it was just going to be a "ho-hum" night at KIDDs club!


Photo Credits:
Bat - ahaworks.org
Ladder - hometips.com
Glove - istockphoto.com

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