There's always time to be surprised.

Generally, when I feel something tickling my arm, it's a bit of my hair that's gotten loose. It's what I expected to see on the subway this afternoon when I looked to make sure.

Nope. It was a wasp.

A very polite and well-behaved wasp, as it turned out - I didn't panic or scream or flinch away, because she was right there on my skin, so that wouldn't have done me or her any good. I had a moment of shock, and then absolute wonder and delight, because how on Earth did she get onto the subway? Through all the passengers? To this train car? Onto my arm? And how adorable was she, climbing from my wrist to my elbow, preening her face and nibbling at my skin to enjoy the salt I was sweating?

Nobody noticed her until she flew off, and the woman standing next to me jerked out of the way. I shot my hand out, and the wasp flew right onto my outstretched thumb, where she nibbled salt to her heart's content and I kept her close to me for protection from everyone who might have done her harm. The next station came up quickly, and I took her outside and let her go on a potted plant in a little park just off Broadway.

There was a greenmarket there today, and I hope she got a little taste of the late peaches before flying off somewhere else.

Me, I got some plums.