Caleb Bullen of the Black Tie Martini Club gets metaphysical with the arthropods today...
The ant colony at the end of the driveway prayed to Billy for mercy. But Billy stomped on any ants he saw on his way to school.The ant colony at the bus stop also prayed to Billy because he regularly dropped whatever unfinished snack he couldn't take on the schoolbus.
One colony knew that their god loved them and regularly answered their prayers with mana from heaven while the other resigned themselves to the knowledge that Billy's plan is mysterious and ultimately good.
When Billy went to his Uncle's farm during Summer Vacations, both colonies felt abandoned until September.