moby willy

I got into a conversationette today with someone who believes in the equality of all life, which belief seems to posit that the existence of a tapeworm is worth no more or less than the creature in whose intestine it dwells.

This elegant and extremely comprehensive trope planted a movie idea in my mind. It would be called "Moby Willy," about a gigantic white cockroach that rises steaming out of the New York City sewers. A big hummer -- about five foot long -- it would be a sort of metaphorical examination of the theme of humankind vs. nature, you know, with the bloodthirsty humans hollering "Get those goddam cockroaches," and various profane oaths. Except they're not bloodthirsty exactly, since cockroaches don't have blood that I've ever seen; it's more like a sort of a viscous yellow juice.

Anyway, this roach, Moby Willy, is being pursued through the tenement blocks of Harlem and the Bronx by the famous Etruscan Orkin man, MacStrna, who carries a spray tank of whatever toxin they use nowadays to poison bugs and kids. But the great white cockroach has all the advantages on his side, especially the ability to traverse walls and ceilings and hide under the sofa.

I'm not going to tell you how it turns out. Wouldn't want to spoil it.