The Cockroach and the Air Freshener

 On Sunday night, as I was doing the final prep before going to bed, I walked up and down a few times to collect things I needed and so on. All the lights were already off, except for my little desk lamp and the light of the laptop screen in the bedroom.

As I walked back into my room, lo and behold, what did I see? A huge cockroach casually crossing my bedroom floor as if he owned the place! 

I put the light on and he quickly ran UNDER MY BED instead of OUT THE DOOR!

    "There's no way I'm sleeping with a cockroach under my bed, LORD!" I exclaimed, and thought for a split second. My Doom was finished, so I decided the next best thing was the brush and pan.

    When I disappeared to the scullery to fetch the said, he (or she?) was sitting on the floor just under the head of my bed. When I returned with the tools, HE WASN'T THERE!

    I froze with horror. I moved the bed backwards and forwards, from side to side, peering underneath it as I did so. As I straightened up from my last peering, my eyes met his as he perched on my sheet, about 10cm from my face!

    I launched the offensive and tried to grab him between the brush bristles and the pan to cast him into outer darkness, but he was too quick. He ran across the room and under my grandson's bed on the other side of the room. Repeat story of moving that bed all over the place in an effort to dislodge him and get him out of my sleeping quarters.

    Eventually, he ran to the lounge, but he couldn't have got all the way out the door because it was closed. So I opened it and scoured the skirting boards all along the wall that led to the great outdoors.

    I found him trying to hide in amongst the wires of the router. He didn't stand a chance. I used the point of the brush to dislodge him, but he was very reluctant to exit his hiding place, but he did eventually move a few more centimetres towards the door - stopping short of actually leaving!

    Putting the lounge light on too, I lifted the curtains and got down on my knees (which is a painful exercise, but not as painful as sleeping with a cockroach!) to inspect every inch of the area, but I couldn't find him. I looked behind the door. Nothing. I moved the table, couldn't find him. Then I asked the LORD for inspiration and ideas and He suggested I look behind the curtain. AHA! There he was!

    I grabbed the brush and pan, lifted the curtain towards the slightly open window (thank goodness it wasn't completely closed) and BRUSHED with all my might!

    He was out! Gone! Baruch HaShem!

With great relief I put the brush and pan away and went to sit on my bed. I was huffing and puffing and my heart was racing. Gosh! What an exercise just before bed!

    It brought back thoughts of having to chase spiders, frogs, and crabs out of our home when my children were small, pretending I wasn't afraid. There was no one else to do it and I couldn't have 4 small people screaming with fear at these invaders. So it seems those experiences stood me in good stead for this occasion.🪳

May the Name of the LORD be blessed forever and to all eternity for the days He gives us.