Bugged

Back in January of 2005, I believe it was, we had about a week straight of rain here in Vegas. Something we're experiencing again this year. That following March, I was working at the Tropicana for the Titanic Exhibit and let me tell you--we had the worst beetle infestation that year. Now, I don't normally have any kind of problem with beetles. Ladybugs are beetles, and I love to hold them in my hands. Beetles are not half as bad as those filthy cockroaches that I detest. But that year there were bugs dropping from the rafters onto people's shoulders as they walked through the exhibit. Mind you, it's fairly dark throughout the exhibit to add to the atmosphere, so things dropping on you in the semi-dark cannot be a particularly enjoyable experience. They would crawl across the gift shop floor, and even fly through the air!! There were several times when one of the creepy little suckers would fly across the counter and into my register drawer. To say the least, I was a little bit jumpy for the two or three months that this continued on. It finally got to the point that I carried around a broom to whack them with. I just couldn't step on them. The sound of those things crunching under my shoes----makes me shudder just to think about it.

I sincerely believe it was the onslaught of rain that year in January that brought these creatures out of hibernation. So, I'm a little concerned that there might be a recurrence this year. I was hopeful that since we're in a new location this year and not at the beat up old Tropicana that it wouldn't be such a problem. However I was told the other day by someone who remembers the infestation that year, that the little buggers were lined up across the bridge walkway between the casino (that I'm currently working at) and the parking garage. Let me tell you, I was not happy to hear that.
Let's just say if you hear about some crazy woman wielding a broom around Vegas in the coming months, it's probably me.