I have finally been inducted into the Order of the Scorpion-stung.
But I doubt I will get any oak leaf clusters.
Monday evening, as I was preparing for bed, I gargled, brushed my teeth, and reached for the bottle containing my blood pressure pills. As I picked it up, I felt a small scratch. At first I thought I had been scraped by one of those plastic labels pharmacists up north insist on putting on pill bottles these days.
But then I felt movement. Before I could fully register this little pas de deux, I saw a brown object pirouetting toward the toilet -- probably knowing that was going to be its next home in any event. Only when it performed a perfect splash landing did I see what it was.
Of course, you know what it was -- because I already told you. A small brown scorpion. That is it at the top of this post -- doing its Michael Phelps impression in the bowl.
From everything I have heard, I am one lucky dude. I must have had my finger in just the right position to not take a full frontal hit. But it did break the flesh. And it does sting.
Did I immediately go to the internet and refresh myself on the immediate steps to take after being stung by a scorpion? Of course, not. I had to figure out how to take a macro photograph for all of you.
Even now, rather then keep my cold compress on my finger, I am typing.
I could argue that shows my dedication to you. Of course, what it proves is that my sting is not really a big deal.
And I am likely to get kicked out of my newly-admitted society.
30 comments:
LUCKY! Next Boy Scout rule - shake the shoes in the morning! You probably ran into the one and only nasty in SMA. More than likely it's an illegal immigrant that snuck in from the presa, as they are not allowed in the city limits!
Now you've been pronged by one painful predator, pop over to Pozos to peruse the pits of the past.Great ruins above the village, and 3 magnificent Hornos in the flats, but be careful when you are walking. We ran into 3 small but ill tempered reptiles sunning themselves on the adobe in a half mile walk. Casa Montana serves a fab lunch or dinner should you find yourself parched and hungry after your explorations!
Psssssst... you DID flush, didn't ya, eh?
Dan in NC
Glad it wasn't a bad sting. That makes 2 you have seen there already doesn't it? Dangerous place that San Miguel lol.
Have fun and keep flushing.
Ouch! That finger may get more sore by morning.
We encountered about a half dozen of those BUG-GERS in Puerto Escondido and perhaps one or two in Xico if memory serves. Never been bit however. You seem to be the ground breaker on a number of the less fun aspects of living SOB.
Be careful hombre - we need you around ;-)
Actually three. After I wrote the post, I found another in the shower. Mom with babes. For some reason, the shower seems to be the preferred maternity ward.
When I came south, I must have bought the Adventureland package. It is fine with me. I would rather die doing somehing than die in bed.
Thanks for the tips, Dan. There are more sights here than I can fit in during the next two weeks. I will undoubtedly do a reprise.
Flush? You bet. But not until I crushed it in the bottom of the bowl.
They must be thirsty little creatures.
We were just saying a few weeks ago that we haven't seen one here for a couple of years, in fact we have only ever seen maybe 2 or 3 here.
We saw more of them in Albuquerque, NM in a couple of weeks than we have here in almost 6 yrs..
You do seem to be a bit of a magnet for attracting misadventures, perhaps with you being in San Mig. T.S. Dora will miss Melaque.
Admittedly, one of my greatest terrors... I know I am pathetic.
Maybe one more sting, and you'll shake out your shoes, and you're pants every morning.
They've got me three times now, and the last time on top of my leg when I put on my pants after carefully hanging them up on the floor by my bed the night before.
jim in Sinaloa
You must have had a camera in my room this morning. I shook out my pants and shirt, carefully scanned the shower curtain, looked at all sides of toiletries before picking them up. And the I put on sandals rather than shoes.
Or it will swing all the way over here.
My feeling is the more misadventures, the better. The blog could use a bit more tension now and then.
I am fascinated by scorpions -- the perfect killing machine. Sharks on land. But I am a bit more cautious these days. We have scorpions in Melaque. But I have not seen this many inside.
The worst is yet to come. The healing itch that is so deep you want to claw your finger off. good luck.
Yikes.
What a way to live...constant fear of being bit...no thanks.
I guess I'm better at herding them over to your house then I could imagine. You know, once a Texan always a Texan. Get it, herding.........Texas.....ha
It must be your magnetic personality. Luckily not one other tenant has ever seen them or else never told me. Sorry.
I think I was very lucky. I had a bit of pain in the finger and up my arm this morning. But everything appears to be fine now. I suspect it just hit me with a glancing blow.
Yikes, indeed. And I remember how concerned we were about black widow spiders when we would visit Aunt Lois in Los Angeles.
Fear? Are you kidding? It is like visiting a petty zoo.
I am more than happy to have them. After all, it is all good for blog material.
I heard you can eat them. Perhaps some butter and a little garlic? Or added to a nice ceviche?
Glad you're OK!
Get thee to the nearest Home Depot, or reasonable facsimile, and buy yourself some of that expanding spray foam, caulk, and a caulking gun, and close up any and all gaps around pipes, switches, drains, etc.
I did that when I lived in Houston after I saw the first giant cockroach in my apartment. After that, the creepie crawlies couldn't get in, and I think we were both happier.
Saludos,
Kim G
Boston, MA
Where we are thankful that the winter kills off most creepie crawlies. Of course they come back in the summer, but we do get some relief.
I think I will leave the epicurean delights to the cats and chickens. Ant eggs were exotic enough for me.
It appears the ingress is through the sink and shower drains. I have come up with a plan that violates at least two Geneva protocols. I am a dead man in any future scorpion Nuremberg trial.
Now, I am going to deal with the mosquitoes.
If I remember correctly, our mutual friend Felipe told me I could escape the bugs of Melaque in San Miguel. He has some 'splainin' to do.
Don't tell us all those bugs caught the first bus to SMA to pursue you.
I'm sure they're local, agringado bugs.
Saludos,
Kim G
Boston, MA
Where we've more than once been accused of being a smart-ass...LOL.
Touche, my friend, touche.
I surrender my epee to you.
Damnation, that looks like a big scorpion to me. In my 11-plus years in Mexico, I have never seen even one. I guess the beasts don't like the climate hereabouts, or the altitude, or something.
I have now run into four of them -- all in the bathroom of the casita. I am starting to think agents from Melaque are trying to turn my head.
The Scorpions sting is greatly over-estimated. They are no worse than a bee sting but still, if you are allergic they can be just as dangerous as a bee. I remember the pleas in Arizona several years ago to please not kill scorpions as they were becoming endangered.
As long as they stay out of my bathroom, they can live as long as they choose.
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