For a few weeks now I have had numerous brief encounters with a cicada who moved into my backyard. I had seen it stuck to the side of my house and the dog took notice too. Coming home one evening at dusk, I stepped up to the backdoor fumbling with my keys. A sudden squealing protest came up around me. It was very like that coming from a cat after it’s tail is stepped on. I was confused because looking around I saw nothing. That protest however became more frantic as nanoseconds passed. Finally I moved my foot to take a wider view when out from under it came the little cicada. Still protesting, it popped onto it’s back, then righted itself, then took off flying in a short loop that crashed back into me, bumped off and another short directed loop until it had made three aggressive passes at me and flown off for good. I had to giggle at it's indignation. And then I marveled that an insect made such a mammalian fuss. ...