Nighty Night

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It came unsuspected
A hitchhiker
A backpack
No international travel or slum
A fancy hotel
A goodwill gesture
Innocent enough
The babysitters bag left alone on the floor
Unsuspecting and yet, risk was known. – ignored

It appeared a week later looking for a meal
Home from college
Studying in her room
She let out a squeal
SMACK!
Google the likely; look for the marks
No evidence
No symptoms
What could it be?
Perhaps a cousin, named for a bat
Cardboard, the habitat
There is a stockpile below
Nighty night… sleep tight

Sheepishly, the next day
Ask your friends their opinion
Risk facing judgement and scorn
A trusted source says no, it’s probably not
Passive denial; they move on
Nighty night… sleep tight

Fall into winter and then into spring
No evidence
No symptoms
Unsuspecting

Another one comes
Just like before
Strip search again but nothing is found
Drop a bomb and move on
Nighty, night
Sleep tight… hopes they won’t bite

Spring led to summer
Always on the go
The girl left the country with her backpack in tow
Unsuspecting, not knowing
–how evasive
–how persistent
They moved to a new host
Still, no evidence
Still, no symptoms
Nighty night… sleep tight

Summer was ending
She came home for a bit
A semester abroad and she was lit
Eeeek– not again!
This time screeched the mother
Just after midnight
Insomnia revealed
A critter out for a late night meal
It was night… but no one slept tight

Undeniable now but how could it be
No evidence
No symptoms
Bombs all over the house
Spraying here
Spraying there
Washing everything in sight
Throw the bed out the window
Cry at their plight
Clothes sealed in baggies, mattresses too
Weary – afraid to say anything
Fear of judgement and scorn
Day and night moods were tight

More research, more fear
They caused more harm
With their bombs and home treatments
Now – they must wait
The professionals advise
To keep their beagle safe from your toxic lair
Weary – afraid to say anything
Living out of baggies
Living in fear
Fear of judgement and scorn
They don’t go out
They save pennies instead
Waiting for the beagle to come to inspect
Nighty night… try to sleep tight

Cranberry, the pooch, comes to snoop
Her owner demonstrates her gift
Amused and delighted
Confident and assured
No evidence
No symptoms – often obscured
Three cheers for Cranberry–
She has saved the day!
Your toxic home remedy caught them in time.
Go on with your lives, here’s our bill–
Goodbye!
Nighty night… sleep tight

Unsuspecting, not knowing
-how evasive
-how persistent
Too tired to unpack
Accustom to the routine
Thank God we were tired
Nighty night… sleep tight

A few days of respite before unpacking our home
Wash the blankets, make the bed
Eeeek!
She takes pictures and snatches them up in a jar
To verify their species and contain them
To shake them and scream
This story is not ending–
it’s not a bad dream
Trust is lost
Everywhere they go
These critters can hitchhike
No respite at home, at work, or at play
They can’t help but cry out!
Night after night… they cannot sleep tight

Soon they discover
Friends and neighbors
One in the same
Survived tales of pests
-this kind and that
-came into their lives
-invaded their homes
Consider yourselves lucky, this kind is lazy
They stay where you rest
Nighty, night… sleep tight

Man, this nightmare bites!

For the backstory, and to find out how the story ends, visit:
RANDOM MUSINGS OF AN INTROVERTED VISUAL LEARNER