Like any moldering, somewhat tropical locale, Hong Kong has a rich and plentiful population of creepy eeewww-inspiring creatures. Such an emissary from the bug world confronted me one evening after putting the gremlins to bed.
Most evenings, for two glorious hours, I am able to relax with a glass of red wine and mindless television. That night is was to be Grey's Anatomy and an Australian Shiraz-Cabernet. I had set the glass down on the coffee table and crossed the room to the DVD player to insert the necessary disc.
While humans are not known for the best eyesight in the animal kingdom, our eyes are good at detecting movement. And at the moment my eyes were riveted by the movement on my wine glass. Since there are no witnesses, I can only surmise that the look on my face combined revulsion with indignation as I watched a roach crawl up the stem of my wine glass.
At steroid-worthy speed I shot toward the kitchen for an industrial-sized wad of paper towels. Concerned, as I was, that the perp would escape in my absence. Evidently, I did not inspire fear in the multi-legged interloper because rather than making a run for it, he had casually sauntered farther up the wine stem--savoring the bouquet perhaps.
Grabbing a roach off a wine-stem without breaking the glass or spilling the wine, given my heightened state of agitation, was going to be a difficult maneuver. I determined it needed to be a two-handed operation with simultaneous execution. Despite my hasty planning, the execution was flawless. One roach squished beyond recognition.
The incident cast a edge over the evening; relaxation was replaced with vigilance. Maybe oenophile roaches are a rare breed; I tried to tell myself. But would my English muffin be safe in the morning?
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