23 September 2017
Well I’ll
be a monkey’s uncle, it kind of worked.
I just got finished rubbing fresh lemon all over my feet in hopes that I
will be able to get to sleep tonight.
From the waist down, I’m covered in fierce bug bites…but they’re mostly
on my feet. The thin skin. When I awoke this morning to this discovery,
I knew immediately that my life as I knew it was over. Bed bugs.
Bed bugs are a real thing up here, a big problem. You have to sign paperwork about them when
you sign a lease. There are signs in the
subway warning you against them. The
super of my building is as good as useless (that’s an entirely different
story), therefore the only solution to my problem is lighting a match to my
place and walking away.
After
comparing bug bites on Google images, it turns out they’re likely mosquito
bites. Calm down, Courtney. But why did they bite me in my sleep? The window in my bathroom stays permanently
open at the very top, it’s about a 2-inch gap, because there is no fan. There is also a small gap in the window
screen in my bedroom. Is my meat really
so sweet that these mosquitoes are travelling from far and wide, bypassing
literally millions of other people, to work their way into the all-you-can-eat
buffet in my loft bed?? Or is it one
giant, super-mosquito that has plans to ravenously feast on my blood night
after night, gaining strength and bulk, until he can walk through the front
door of my apartment and take over the world?
I can’t
shut the windows. Despite this having
been an incredibly mild end of summer up here, if I shut the windows I would
perish. Central air is for the
disgustingly rich and famous. Yes, I
have a cute little window unit that I bought for my other bedroom window. He tries, the poor little fella. I mostly just use it for the fan. I shudder to think what my life will be like
in the dead of summer next year. I feel
sticky just thinking about it. Needless
to say, I cannot shut the windows. So I
just fill in the gaps with towels, put on full pants and socks, and cross my
fingers that I don’t wake in the morning resembling a pubescent teenager with
dots all over my face.
It’s
amazing to me, that I was able to purchase the lemon at 1 o’clock in the
morning anyhow. There is a produce stand
and the end of my quiet little block that seems to be open 24 hours. Meaning a man just pulls his hat over his
eyes while he tries to catch some Zs in a chair. The walk to and from work today made me
question if life was worth living. The
bites are on all the surfaces of my feet.
Each step, in my shoes and socks, igniting an insatiable flame. The guy
who runs the pet store on corner is the one who told me the lemon trick. I stopped in after work to buy more cat food
and left an hour later. It’s always an
ordeal, buying cat food. His name is
Mic, short for Microphone, and he is from Jordan. His dad obviously put a lot of thought into
it when he named him. Microphone is such
a nice, traditional Arabic name. Mic
is a nice guy. He’s an incredibly weird
guy, but nice. He told me a couple weeks
ago that whoever ends up with me is one lucky fella. That my smile could brighten the darkest days
and that my positive energy radiates all around me…or something along those
lines. It was a beautiful thing to hear
during this emotional journey. He has a
thick accent and he talks really fast.
He went on to say that he believed my spirit is the spirit of his dead
best friend. Sigh. It was still really nice. Today he gave me a gorgeous lavender rose for
my birthday, and counseled me on my bug and super problems. He actually knows my super and he gave me his
apartment number so I can just go knock on his door at any hour of the day,
should I need him. ::Maniacal laugh::
I’ve been
in my apartment for 3 weeks now and I still don’t have anywhere to put my
clothes. It still looks like a natural
disaster in here. It’s hot in here. My feet itch.
My hips are sore from all the walking.
My cat is throwing up everywhere.
My new job kinda sucks. (There’s
no place like Woodcreek. ::clicks heels
3X::) Travelling short distances takes an eternity. I can’t play loud music because –
neighbors. I can’t use my microwave and
my teakettle at the same time without tripping the main breaker to half my
apartment. I’m legally required to rinse
and sort my garbage. I don’t know if
I’ve ever been this happy. The energy of
this city is incomparable to anywhere I’ve ever been. It’s far too expensive to sustain life, but
it’s amazing. I want to do all the
things, all the time.
Don’t look up,
Courtney
No comments:
Post a Comment