"There's a snake in my boot!"

Ok, Ok....there's not really a snake in my boot (like Woody from Toy Story exclaims)--this story involves no snake nor do I own boots. What I do have is a striped lizard and my jeans! Let me explain...

A couple of days ago, I was getting ready for the day. Carrie, Court's younger sister, is here visiting for a while and so the bathroom can get a little crowded while 3 of us girls are drying hair, lathering deodorant, putting in contacts, etc. So, I wet my toothbrush, lined the bristles with a thick squirt of toothpaste and slipped out to sit on my bed to get outta the way while I brushed my teeth. Moo, the world's cutest Chihuahua, was lounging on the bed, so I went to sit next to her. The minute I sit down, I see a long squiggly tail shoot out from under a pile of clean clothes (I had yet to fold them) and slither down my bed spread and under my bed. I hollered because at that point I couldn't tell if it was a lizard (I knew it wasn't a gecko) OR a snake! Moo saw it and was shaking in fear...no help at all.

Me, Court, and Carrie go into hunter-mode and try to find it. Well, let me rephrase that--Carrie and I tried to find it while Court stood on the bed holding Moo. With a flashlight in hand, Carrie and I looked around and finally found it blending in with the dark base boards. We could really only see its stripes and shiny exterior. OK, so it was a baby lizard--dark brown with a snake-like head, but its tail was longer than its body. Ugh.

We devised a plan to get rid of it. I didn't want a mess to clean up, so I thought I could smack it with a rolled-up newspaper just enough to disorient it and then I'd scoop it up in a plastic bag and release it outside. Good plan, huh? Well, I swatted at it and all that did was make it squirm away faster. We chased it under my desk, then under my bed. At this point, it was hopeless. What could we do now? We resigned and went to the mall. I didn't see it again that evening, so I slept in my bed--pretty much with one eye open the entire night! All went well.

The next day, Court and Carrie left for the beach, so it's just me and Moo left to take care of the removal of this unwanted guest. No sign of the striped stranger. So, my morning went on as usual. When I got out of the shower, I reached for my jeans and stepped one leg in. As I went to step into the other leg, out squiggled that revolting reptile! It dropped right outta my britches and slithered under my bed! Oh mercy! Moo and I got bold and tried to get it out with a broom with no success. Again, I retreated and hoped to have another shot at it later. And of course, I did.

Yesterday evening...went to the bathroom, flipped on the light switch, reached to open the door and down drops the lizard! I feel like I've got him cornered! As I strategize, neither one of us makes a move and our eyes are fixed on the other. I make a smooth escape downstairs to get the bug spray! This is high-powered stuff and I'll just get it with the spray! Genius! When I return with the can, it was gone. But the can remained on the sink for easy access our next encounter!

A few minutes ago, I went to the bathroom to check on its current whereabouts. There it is. That slithery snake-like body is coming out from under the bathroom rug. I grab the can and spray before it knew what hit it. It took off running under the bathroom door. I fling open the door and chase it with a direct line of spray! It slows, coughs, spits, throws its hands up in the air, waves a white flag, and surrenders. Well, something like that. I let it alone, closed the door and hope that when I return its taken its last breath.


Mission accomplished. I now can return to my living space with confidence that there is not a lizard in my bed or in my clothes! Life in Thailand--ya gotta love it!