Last month, while on the job at a towing company, Christian Torres discovered he’d been sharing his wrist with an unexpected little companion — long before he even realized it.
As he bent down to strap a vehicle onto his truck, something minuscule darted across his watch.
“When I was strapping down a vehicle, I saw this tiny creature move quickly and run into one of the holes of my watch band,” Torres told The Dodo.
Inside the band’s small opening, two shiny eyes peered back at him.
“Once I saw the eyes, I immediately knew it was a jumping spider,” Torres said. “My first reaction was to say, ‘Aww!’ I decided to let him just hang with me.”
The tiny stowaway had been found — and instead of shooing him away, Torres welcomed him.
For the rest of the workday, Torres carried on with his tasks, fully aware of his new passenger tucked safely in the watch band.
“For another seven hours, he just stood there and didn’t move, just always watching me,” Torres said.
By the time he clocked out, Torres realized this wasn’t just a quirky moment — it was the beginning of something special.
“Immediately after work, I went and purchased an enclosure, some fruit flies and some decorations,” he said.
The spider’s cozy watch-hole home was about to get a massive upgrade.
Torres named him Bandit and set up a spacious, decorated enclosure for his new eight-legged buddy.
“He’s been with me on my desk ever since,” Torres said.
Bandit flourished in his new home, growing bigger and more curious with each passing day. Even though Torres had never cared for a spider before, the bond felt effortless.
“I felt like he chose me. It’s been great,” he said. “He’s curious still to this day and just constantly stares at me. We absolutely have a connection that I never would imagine having with a spider. He’s my buddy for sure.”
The tiny spider who once tucked himself inside a watch band has now settled into Torres’ life — and heart — permanently.
“Spiders always were eerie to me, but I have no plans to get rid of Bandit,” Torres said. “If I could keep him longer than his lifespan, I absolutely would. I hope learning about our story will make people less afraid of spiders.”
