To those who know my life in Quepos.. or know me well enough to appreciate this... There have been spiders the size of my hand and iguanas licking my toes.... all part of the life. But this... this was a first
Lets start from the beginning, a very good place to start. I had gone to Quepos Sunday night to drop off my bags before heading out Monday again to do some run around in San Jose. Normal morning. Coffee, bread and eggs and out the door.
Well, Thursday morning I came back, ready to really clean the house and get settled again. I wasn´t prepared for what I found. I had left the bread on my table, in a plastic bag... only to find it torn apart and strewn across my table. The bag was torn to shreds and, as I held back tears, poking at the remaining pieces of bread on the table to make sure that nothing resurfaced, I did what I do best in panic situations- I used my lifeline to phone a friend (Carly and Bethany know all to well from my arachnophobic days in College...) .
Though I hadn't come to any conclusions, I wasn´t prepared for was the laughing ¨tut-tut, you have a rat!!¨ I told myself ¨ Anna, you have a choice.¨ In response, I went on a disinfecting rampage, and cleaned through my apartment, poking around corners and under furniture with a broom before moving forward.
Well, two days pass, and I, despite all realistic advice, decided to tell myself that it was a one time thing, the rat had left, and I could sleep in peace.
The peace was short lived.
Last night, shortly after I turned out the lights, I heard something rummaging through my trash. Shaking, literally, I grabbed my weapon of choice (broom, as always, also great for killing large jumping spiders) and turned on the light in my room. As I peeked around the corner, I saw a very large critter, the size of a football or so right next to the tipped over trash bin. I screamed, loud, and the critter ran from my kitchen, towards me, under my kitchen table, and under the futon. I was more concerned with myself, lost track of the rat, and clutched my broom.
Again, poking at the trash, I picked up the pieces and went outside to toss anything that would lure the thing back in.
My neighbor asked how I was doing, but I dont think he was prepared for my high-voice-fast-speaking freak out. And seemed surprised that I took him up on his offer to check my house. He was on all fours looking in my cupboards, under furniture and and in closets. He tried to reassure me that it could not be a rat because there were far too many cats in our neighborhood... I decided to lock myself in my room, wrap blankets around me (despite the heat) and pretend like nothing happened.
This morning I woke up, and after playing through all the logical things that may have happened the night before, decided to look a little more carefully at the outside of my house. It was then that I saw it. A window pane missing at the base of my window, and a collection of muddy paw prints against the siding of the house. It was a cat indeed...
I must say, Cat is much better than rat. But this does not help my disdain for the feline species.
I have already replaced the window sill, and there are plans to leave bread with hot sauce out... sensitive taste buds
e getting the classroom ready! My friend Memo and I spent a good two hours sitting, tracing, and cutting out numbers and circles... it is good to have friends! But the room it up and running! We have seven students this semester and are excited to see where God works! More school updates to come...
