Fly Swatters

For many years, we've had to make do with this inferior fly-swatter:

It's made of molded plastic and extruded metal wire. It's not handsome -- a ghastly inappropriate pink-purple color for the flapper and a small gauge white-coated wire for the handle. Is there a name fpr this  styleless style, other than dime-store cheap. Mid-century modern in its least attractive manifestation. Not only unbeautiful, it leaves much to be desired in function. The flapper is inflexible and rigid, which makes it difficult to kill the fly without splattering it. Moreover, the wire handle lacks integrity and offers an uncomfortable grip.

Now feast your eyes on this newly-acquired fly-swatter. It's a thing of beauty.

Notice the turned hardwood handle (maple, I believe, or possibly birch), perfectly suited to the human hand. The heavy gauge shaft leading to a genuine metal screen flapper. It's a fly-swatter to savor;  a classic. Many a graceful swat in it.

An anniversary or a birthday in the offing? Nothing says "I love you" more than a fly-swatter of distinction. It's also unsurpassed as a wedding present. If you're in a generous mood, "his" and "hers" fly swatters will get that marriage off to a great start.

Comments

[Don Z. Block]

What you imply but perhaps what needs to be said is that fly swatters need not be limited to flies. A creative person can use a fly swatter the way Chaplin used a pitchfork. A serious limitation of the fly swatter, however, is its ineffectiveness with ants, creatures that have been plaguing me since I was born. It took them 50 years to find me after I left Brooklyn, and now they have evolved into supervillains that feast on the TAT ant traps that used to kill them. I find that the finger remains the only surefire way to deal with them. Is there an ant swatter?