Only in New York...

After a relaxing and wonderful Labor Day weekend of lounging at the beach and watching the US Open, I had a rough start to the week. It began on Monday evening after my guest had gone home, and I had cleaned up and was resting before the first day of school the following day. I was lazily reading on my bed when out of the corner of my eye, I saw it. A bed bug. Yes, the bug that all urban dwellers dread worse than the smell of August garbage or spotting a rat on the street. I knew immediately it was a bed bug because there are pictures of those little monsters plastered all over the subway warning us.

I quickly picked up said bug and put him in a tupperware container and then inside a gallon ziplock. I called my boyfriend, freaking out as usual about bugs, and explained the harrowing situation. He calmly instructed me to look under my mattress, inside the sheets, ect. I checked and saw nothing. Could it be that this was a rogue bed bug? I guess I would know in the morning. "Don't worry he said, they don't come out until they sense a warm body." Very comforting thought.

I went to sleep, itching already, dreaming about bugs and awoke pleasantly to find not a bite at all. No sign of bugs under my mattress or in my sheets. I went to school after checking the freezer where I had stashed said bug to kill it dead, which I did. Everyday last week, I checked for bugs and still have not seen another one. Maybe, just maybe, I escaped the beagle smelling bed bug dog...hopefully. I will keep you informed.

The next night, I awoke at 4 am to the sounds of my passionate neighbors. Not pleasant, but not unheard of in pre-war apartments with thin walls. Whatever, I put my pillow over my head and drifted back to sleep. Then, I heard a banging noise outside my window and opened my eyes to see a man standing outside my window on the fire escape. (This is one of my biggest fears that someone will break in and kill me or rob me from that window, even though I keep it locked tight.) My heart started beating a million miles an hour, I grabbed my phone to call 911, flipped on my light, and heard a loud banging sound and laughing into my adjoining apartment. Yes friends, that was my crazy neighbors, having sex on my fire escape at 4 am. After my heart slowed down, I sort of chuckled at how strange and yet typical these things are in this crazy city.

Hopefully my nights will settle back down this week! :)