Moth Catcher

Not feeling particularly witty this evening so I'll tell a little story instead.

I attended boarding school in Italy; our dorm windows had no screens, only shutters. Alas, there was also no air-conditioning so in order to create a breeze the shutters were almost always open. As you might imagine, bugs and other flying creatures frequently entered the room. Ah, la vita Italiana, so delightful except for the lack of screened windows.

I don't know about you, but I hate moths. They're nasty, beady-eyed, fluttery things that fly about one's head causing anxiety and distress.

One evening while alone in my dorm room a huge moth flew in and was flying around like crazy; it landed on the wall and I knew I had to get rid of it. I couldn't bear the thought of trying to smash it and hear/feel the awful crunch, therefore, I quickly grabbed my roommate's glass (previously a jar of jam/nutella or something like that--no sentimental value, I assure you) and caught the moth. Heart pounding, I slid a card across the top of the glass and tossed the stupid moth out the window.

When my roommate returned I related my stressful experience and resourceful action in trapping the moth. Much to my surprise she neither sympathized nor praised my cleverness; all thoughts were focused on the so-called "contamination" of the blasted jar/drinking glass! It's not as though it couldn't be washed...

She never drank from it again, but over the next two years it served as our "Moth Catcher," duly labeled, I might add. Small sacrifice for our safety and comfort, but apparently still a sore point (ref: Sonicare Comments.)

Oh, if only I had a scanner, the Moth Catcher's immortalized on film.


Epilogue
In spite of our best efforts to keep our room moth-free, senior year a mouth house--I don't know what it's really called, a nest?--appeared on our ceiling. Sick!! Actually, do moths nest? Maybe it was a wasp nest. It was gray and nasty with a circular opening, it gives me the creeps just thinking about it.