The Messenger

Every spring after the first rain, I scour my kitchen for the first sign of spring Ants. After many years of armies of Ants making their journey through my back door, last year, and this year so far, have been pretty calm. <fingers crossed>

Two nights ago I saw a lonely Ant. I call him “The Messenger”. I didn’t see any of his friends, he came all alone. Why? I imagine he came to check out the territory and report back to his squad as to whether or not the journey through my back door will be worth the trek.

Should I let him live? If I let him live, he will certainly return home with the good news. “Yes friends, it is the promised land we have been looking for, lots of crumbs and sweet sticky stuff everywhere.” On the other hand, how brave an Ant to come all this way all by himself knowing he may never return to his friends or family alive again.

Such a little Ant on such an important journey.

If I kill him, he can’t tell his friends where to find us. And, if I kill him, there is a good chance his friends wont come looking for him, that is, if they are wise. But what if they do?  Are Ants so loyal as to come rescue their Messenger? Do they take his not returning as a warning to stay away?

I checked again. He didn’t bring any friends with him.

For some reason, I was feeling compassion towards this brave little Ant (brave or stupid) and decided to let him live. I smiled as he disappeared under my fridge. (I didn’t really smile but it made my story sound better.)

Today he was lucky. I will let this Messenger live. But make no mistake, if he returns with his friends, I will be ready for them.

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Our Ant situation used to be so bad, they drove me CRAZY. Literally crazy.

It was so bad that one day while Ryan was at work, I found his caulk gun and caulked every crack and crevice I could find in my kitchen. It was a mess but I felt powerful. “HaHa!” <in my best Jack Sparrow voice>

It didn’t work and Ryan was not too happy.

Alas, I found a solution. I happen to have been complaining to friend about my Ant situation when another friend that happened to work for a pest control company overhead me talking and offered to lend me some product that was guaranteed to work.

Hallelujah it did! And you know what? There is an OTC brand that is almost the equivalent that works like a charm. We have been using it for years and takes only a day or two at most to rid your home of and Ant intruders.

Terro. It’s amazing. God bless Scientists.