jp pest

i just had the bug guys up here.

i was getting ready in my bathroom. doing my hair. braiding it, to be exact. and i saw a little black spot on the wall. "hm, that looks interesting." i said to myself. i looked closer - BUG. about the size of a ladybug, but with the characteristics of a tick.

i jumped back. i think i even swore.

ok ok ok. try not to panic. i looked again. yup. bed bug. then! it fell off the wall into a pile of clothes.

then i started freaking out. i ran into the kitchen, grabbed a garbage bag, threw all the clothes in and ran out of the apartment.

(well, that sounds pretty dramatic. i didn't really run.)

i went downstairs to the office. told Courtney. told Cheryl, who was also working. we caught the bug guys before they left.

they came upstairs with me. two really nice guys. i showed them where i saw the bug. they shined their flashlights everywhere. didn't find anything in the bathroom.

"can i check your mattress?" one of them asked.
"yeah, sure." i replied.

then all i could think was, "oh no, i have a lot of stuffed animals in my bed...." so, that was a little embarrassing.

he checked the mattress, the sheets, my pillows. didn't find anything. both of them really liked my bed because there was no wood, no screws where they could hide.

so, they said i was alright. they told me exactly what to look for. they thought the bug i saw might have just been a stray from the room downstairs. so i asked,

JULIE: So, is it possible that once it gets dark more will come out?
BUG GUYS: Well, you never really know until they're here.

he told me what bite look like.

BUG GUY: There will be two or three bites right in a row. And, if they're in your mattress, they're eggs will look like someone sprinkled pepper on your sheets. Or, you'll find a casting.

apparently they shed their skin just like snakes.

so, i'm totally grossed out right now. i'm kind of dreading sleeping tonight. which, i probably won't even do because i'll be so nervous about going to court tomorrow. and then the bugs on top of that.

UGH now i'm all itchy.

and now i don't know what to do with all those clothes in the bag. i guess i'll be doing laundry tonight.

they said that the clothes need to be in the dryer for at least 20 minutes. which sucks, becacuse i hardly dry any of my clothes. BUT, they can also live in the dryer hose if they dryer isn't on for long enough, or doesn't get hot enough.

maybe i'll wash my sheets tonight too. aw crap, it's big chore night. so everyone else will also be washing their clothes.

aw man, this really sucks. like, really sucks.

they also gave me these sticky things to stick the bugs onto if i see another.

AND! i missed going to the post office again. great.

so, this was your lesson on bed bugs. now you know what to look for.

it probably also doesn't help that i have that huge hole in my bathroom wall. oh geeze. i hope this doesn't turn bad.

ok. i think i'm going to go out. remove myself from the situation for a little while. nobody is allowed on the second floor until 7pm. that's when all the chemicals should dry.

MAN. i don't like this.