Can't a girl get a break? (27 January 2009)

Can’t a girl get a break?

The pungent mildew and fuzzy mold has begun to succumb. I will conquer.

Nevertheless, there’s a new kid on the block. Another adversary trying to run me from my home. First it was the cockroaches and geckos and occasional slugs in the bathroom. Then the mold. And in between (according to third party sources) a ginormous tarantula-esque spider… I reluctantly saw the photos of my familiar home in it’s company. Now. A mouse. I’m hoping he’s merely a mouse and not one of the massive rats I see lurking around the villages and shops in town. I’m not alone in noting the size of the Flores’ rats, The Lonely Planet backs me up. Although I’ve admittedly never seen a harmless mouse on this expansive island, it is indeed. No doubt about it. Yes, a mouse.

A stranger, but I know he’s there. Somewhere.
He plays with my big swissball, knocking it around the room in the dark of night.
He leaves his excrement on my desk and in my cupboard… his droppings fall out. of my fold clothes, out of from under dvds and books.
He ate my brown t-shirt (not just wholes, but without exaggeration half the shirt!).
The hood strings on my sweatshirt are MIA.
He’s nibbled on numerous pairs of underwear.
He pulls out tea-bags from the rubbish.
He snacks on food that is in double plastic ziplocks.

What he doesn’t try is the poisoned food left conveniently around his favorite hangouts. I tried 8 different shops in the market before finding a mouse bait vendor. Forgetting my dictionary, and ‘mousetrap’ not in my list of useful vocabulary, I attempted to ask several of the women. Little animal. In my house. No, not ants. Not cockroaches, although I have those too! Even a mouse face and squeak was not conveying my wishes. Somewhere around mid-mission a woman suggested the sticky traps. It was a tube of glue. Finding a massive rat… mouse… stuck to my desk wasn’t exactly an exciting prospect. What do I do with it then? I’d rather he just leave on his own accord. Please…..

And while I’m on the subject of unwelcomed visitors, I think I have lice.