It is gratifying to swat a fat, swollen mosquito.
To see the enemy in broad daylight is a sure interruption. Flying around with its full belly, the pesky creature is easy prey. We are tempted to put our entire lives on hold until we have chased the insect, taken its life and wiped the evidence clean.
What purpose does killing a mosquito serve? The damage is already done – the blood is lost, the sleep has been disturbed, and the itchy boil remains. A full mosquito won’t bite again, and its murder has no bearing at all on the mosquito population.
A mosquito the morning after merely serves as a humble reminder of how little it takes for something to drive us into a murderous rage.
Observations 