So I come home last night and as I'm trying to go to the elevator my way is blocked by a bat swooping through the hallway, yes a bat. I of course haul my ass back outside, and call Animal Control. (Best use of cell phone...ever) While I'm waiting other people are going through the lobby as if a bat is nothing to be concerned about. I must be really bothered by bats, I can't remember the last time I had such uncontrollable heebie jeebies. They think they can just open the door and the bat will fly out. Yeah right. They thought I was overreacting when I called Animal Control, but they were glad they came after they realized the bat was just going to fly around and around regardless of wether the door was open or not. Animal Control used stick technology to wack the bat unconscious long enough to flick it outside.

This is not my first encounter with bats in this building. A couple of years ago, there was a bat in my bedroom. I know, while I was sleeping, ewwwwww. The Animal Control Folks who came that time were much more professional, they had special gloves, put the bat in a packing-tube-like bat container, and even gave me a receipt.

Despite the serious heebie jeebies that bats apparently give me, I know that they are an important part of the ecosystem. The Century Plant, which is used to make tequila, is exclusively pollinated by bats. The Bacardi Rum people have devoted themselves to protecting bat habitats. Everyone who can should get a bat house. The more bat habitats and houses there are, the less likely bats are to come into my apartment.

Here's a Harper's type list about my appartment building

1- number of times there has been a fire that was real and trapped me on the upper floors
numerous - number of times there has been a fire alarm and no fire but the firemen had to come anyway to turn off the alarm
1- number of times someone has been stuck in the elevator and the firemen had to come to get him out
2 - number of times I've encountered a bat in the building
2- number of weeks there was no heat during record low temperatures
4 - number of serious water main breaks
82 - number of days before I leave forever.