In Part Two, I described the frustrating and Sisyphean task of eradicating rats from my home. Here I share how this nightmare finally ends and ponder a moral to this story.
You already know how this nightmare ends – the HOA ended up replacing my entire fuse box and wires and 12 weeks after this unnerving tumult began (and Stanley Steamer had cleaned my downstairs area rugs and wooden floors) peace descended upon the land.
But wait! Just when I thought it was safe to go back into my sanity, I had a routine dental appointment a week later. “Hmmmm,” said my dentist stepping back, his dental instruments poised in mid-air like the shower scene from “Psycho.”
“Sharon, have you been under a lot of stress lately?” he asked.
“Yes,” I replied meekly. “I’ve been dealing with a major rat infestation in my home.”
“I’m very sorry, because your two front teeth are cracked as well as two molars. Were you wearing your mouth guard?”
“No, because of an eruption of canker sores, removing my mouth guard also removed mouth tissue which was more painful than the canker sores.”
How ironic, I thought, my two front teeth damaged from coping with rats whose front teeth are so strong they can gnaw through most anything – lead and PEX pipes, wood, brick, wires, walls, a reason for living . . .
As of this writing, I can use my dryer and have hot water, heat upstairs and downstairs, a working oven and lights in my bathroom . . . bottom line, appliances and lights that work simultaneously. I want to believe the unwelcome intruders have been totally e-raticated . . . however, again wait for it . . . they apparently migrated to the four other units beyond my unit and gnawed their way through a fresh supply of electrical wiring, pipes, walls and [fill in blank]. The neighbors in the unit where this all started never heard anything inside their walls and their unit sustained no damage.
The good news: I haven’t heard any scratching in my walls — fingers and toes crossed. The bad news: three dental appointments await.
The moral to this story? Prepare to roll your eyes . . . Rat happens.
9 responses to “Ratastrophe — Part Three”
My first dental appointment to fix one of the cracked teeth is on May 23. Then another one in June and then another one . . . hell, where’s the Professional Disaster and Recovery Company (PDRC) when you need it? DDS? FMX [full-mouth x-ray], DOA?
Yikes what a high price to pay for what is NOT your doing. OUCH yes rats are gone–thanks be. AND the price is high. The moral — do not be human on this earth. You have really been through an ordeal as your teeth reveal. AND somehow with grace you got through it. I am soooo proud to call you friend. Big Hug.
Wow, Charlotte — just the kind of comment I needed to read this morning (or ANY morning, for that matter). Thank you. ”
“Do not be human on this earth” — your moral of this story. I’m kind of flummoxed about how to do that given so many reminders (broken teeth, arthritic hands and neck, kidney disease, potty mouth) that I am human. What else can I be on this earth?
I also take great pride in our friendship — has it really been 52 YEARS? More than half a century?❣️❣️
What a horror! The rat infestation is the worst, but three dental repair appointments is not far behind. So sorry for this double, triple, quadruple trial!
I am on a plane getting ready to take off for St. Louis today to meet up with three college friends. My friend, Lucy, has scoliosis and rheumatoid arthritis and is scheduled for reconstructive spinal surgery in a couple months from her pelvis to T 10. The recovery is estimated to take a year. All of this is to say, I am feeling very lucky and blessed today. Best wishes for all the easiest solutions and best outcomes for your dental work.
Beth — I shall add Lucy’s name to my Prayer Post-it box on the altar in my poetry room. You and your friends are a godsend to Lucy. She has a long haul ahead of her and needs the healing company of friends.
I must confess, that flying somewhere in an airplane is right up there with dental work these days as far as I’m concerned. Back in the day, when I was selling my soul to corporate America, I was flying 3 to 4 times a month! I can hang in there with a major rat infestation, but airports, airplanes, TSA, delays, delays, delays — I’d rather have another root canal. (That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but you get my point.😬)
Have to say…sorry you took out all your stress on your teeth, but as I look back over those incredibly difficult weeks and months, I am astounded at your forbearance, courage, wisdom, and strength! You had to be in touch with condo “authorities” numerous times, each time demanding new strategizing to make sure you were heard. And all this in addition to the noise and mess of the rats! Kudos to you, cracked teeth and all. May it never, ever, ever happen again! Hats off to one Courageous Woman!
Gosh, Carol — such uplifting perspectives! Makes me want the rats to come back . . .(🫣 WHAT?! Am I an idiot?) But seriously, thank you.
Thanks too for the reminder of how often I had to confront the HOA “authorities” so I would be heard . . . or at least have someone believe that the recordings I was playing for them were, in fact, rats. I do believe there was some significant misogyny at play. I finally insisted that I wanted an HOA liaison other than the Director of Maintenance: “He doesn’t respect me. He doesn’t believe me. He has a problem with women and must be rehabilitated.” How often did I have to say that before they assigned a new contact for me? I shouldn’t have had to say it AT ALL.😡 But the new contact was very nice and accommodating.🙂
[When I got a new MacBook in February, I suddenly had access to emojis that my ancient iMac desktop did not have. Can you tell?😉]
Glad to see this grisly tale in living color in an entertaining format, after knowing how truly traumatic, disruptive, and infuriating it was to my friend. I hope it’s a kickstart of more to come from Spark and Spitfire. I’m sad about your teeth, but I’m afraid I would have gotten arrested for bodily harm of people or property other than my own if I had endured this ordeal. I’m thankful you did not go all Ripley with a flamethrower on the neighbors (other than in your dreams).
OMG, Trish — going “Ripley” is still possible, but will have lost its dramatic luster. I’ve gotta love a friend who remembers who my lifelong heroine is and how much she continues to inspire me.
And yes, this is the kickstart of more Spark and Spitfire to come. I am thrilled that you are coming along for the ride. Saddle up.💕