They looked like they had just had the worst battle ever as I came walking up to them. The young gents shirt was completely untucked with sweat rolling down his face. The young miss was looking for a spot on her sleeves to wipe her sweat away. And they both saw me at the same time, stopping everything they were doing in their recovery to ask, “you live upstairs from him?” I gave nod and half smile. “You have done really good with your apartment,” they said.
Ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girls. Everyone no matter the industry you work, don’t work, whatever…I use to carry a UV light with me at the restaurant to make sure and ensure things were clean, ie. zero cross contamination and hella clean bathrooms. I’m not saying do the same, or that I still even do this now; however, what I am about say/share will keep you from becoming a pillow cushion for bugs, viruses, and parasites – large and small.
Thursday, the beginning heat dome and meeting the new bosses/management company two and half hours away (thus my version of short notice), was absolutely atrocious. I just had a preventative spray done, that’s all I needed, for….bed bugs. Check out Wikipedia. It is totally different when you are informed that there are “...thousands in all stages...” and that it might take more than the next three weeks for the guy below you. Holy cow. Not to mention that this is the second time in less than two years. The first time the company took care of it; this time he did AND the unit next to him. Thus, the pest control company continued on with their bravery of getting the unit sprayed down to get moving to the next. This was taking up free rent in my brain all the way to the meeting. A few things…
Finding the gratitude one: At least my downstairs neighbor knew to make the call and get the ball rolling.
Finding the gratitude two: At least and ARIGATO! I am just paranoid enough to have sealed my entire apartment – baseboards, 5 gallon trash bucket only, throw out what I do not use or absolutely LOVE anymore, and keep things away from the walls six inches making everything look smaller than it does. Making the time to clean cause I work seven days a week. And my husband pitches in too. The running joke is that it’ll never be Rachel clean, but hey. *Smiling*
Finding the gratitude three: The neighbor next to them, well, she won’t be dealing with domestic violence/elder abuse so much anymore. Who knew there was a bipedal human interloping? Didn’t know till the clean out.
Of all this, including making to the meeting on-time, I’m not even mad, maybe shocked. I mean, the world just went through a shutdown based upon a “fast virus”. ALL business models changed and a lot of finger pointing blah, blah, blah (means keeping my opinion to myself) happened. Why? Why? The shock. I have even walked into a waitresses house and literally asked her “why don’t you wipe the doors handles?” It was caked with dirt and this person was serving food; am I sure she was washing her hands per guidelines? What a wow moment.