Bed bugs: Still, Again

 

I'd say they were back, but they've never really gone away.

Kevin's been living with his bed bugs for eighteen months.

In this case, though he IS in Section 8 housing, the building management is not totally to blame. They've tried, many times, to get rid of the bugs, but they always come back. I have some strong opinions as to why - but part of the reason the building manager won't listen to my theories is that Kevin hasn't been doing his part to get them gone.

I have to admit, I don't get it. I don't get it at all. If our places were switched, I'd be following every instruction to the letter, and then some. He, on the other hand, seems to figure they're just part of life. I think a big part of his live-and-let-live attitude stems from the fact he doesn't react to the bites; no welts, no itching, no nothing. If his skin reacted like mine does, I'd be willing to bet his approach would more closely match mine. He does kill the ones he sees, but because of the nature of the bugs, I figure he sees about one in fifty.

I saw another bug when I was there last week, and when I talked with the building manager, and told her the latest treatment had not been effective, she was ready to throw in the towel. She's ready to just not renew his lease. That certainly got my attention. I worked long and hard to get Kevin off the streets - if she follows through, he'll be right back there.

I sat on it overnight, mulling over options, and came up with a plan. This time, instead of just telling Kevin what he needs to do, I'm going to SHOW him. That's right. I'm going to walk into a known bed bug nest and do my darndest to clean it out. I'm going to do it myself this first time, then, for the next month, will show up once a week to check to make sure he's done it himself. (If he won't do it himself, all bets are off. But I'll cross that bridge if I come to it.) This time, if they're not gone, I'd be willing to bet the manager will listen to my theories as to why they keep coming back. (I think they take a walk to the apartment below and hang out there for a bit - she needs to treat both apartments simultaneously.)

I gotta admit - I don't want to do it. Eeeeewwwwwww! But, it's the right thing to do. Why do I have to do the right thing? No one else I know has 'clean up someone else's bed bugs' on their to-do list! I don't have a good answer for myself, except that...  

This is a rocking chair moment. Some day, sooner than I'd like to admit, I will have run out of steam and will be able to do nothing but sit in my rocker on the porch and look back on my life. When I get there, when I think back on these days, will I be more content if I know I showed up and did the hard thing, or if I know I gave it a pass?

*sigh* The answer is clear, but I don't have to like it. 

I've got my halo on order. I DO get to wear one after this, don't I?  At least for a month or so. (If I get a vote, I do! I can tell you that much.)