Jaques d'Alltrades wrote in message
k...
The message
from "Spider" contains these words:

I'm sure you're right, Victoria. No sensible creature is going to eat
itself out of house and home, but a few Dysdera must make a difference.

Can't I persuade you to become a spider fan? We're very cuddly really!
:~)

When I was a young teacher in London's Dockland, a high proportion of
the kids in my class had fathers who were dockers.

One of them mentioned that his father often caught huge spiders in the
holds of banana boats (This was late '50s, and long before containers
were the norm.).

I said how much I'd like one, and the message came back that I could
have the next one.

Unfortunately, I lived in a Scout hostel, and the Warden vetoed the
spider, even though I promised to get a secure vivarium, and that it
wouldn't be venomous. (They used to put spiders in the bananas to keep
down pests on the journey over.)

The reason for the veto was that the cleaning ladies wouldn't come near
the place if I had one, which was probably true enough.

So I told Ken that I wasn't allowed to keep a tarantula where I lived in
case it Miss Muffetted the cleaners.

Next day, the message came back: 'Dad says, never mind, if you ever want
a side of beef or something, he can arrange it.'

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

Hi Rusty,

Banana spiders are definitely venomous. Pity you couldn't keep one, though;
they make great pets. I kept a few myself for 22 years - without incident.
They're brilliant. Of course you do have to be very responsible.
It was kind of your potential benefactor to offer you a side of beef, but
they don't make such good pets. They tend to smell after a while! :~))

Spider