http://www.olympusmicro.com/primer/techniques/hoffmangallery/flea.html
Above is a microscopic picture of the head and teeth of an ordinary flea.  Click on the above link for info. about fleas.

     I was in a state of relief, relaxation floated over my body.  The previous tenants were gone!  I knew there would  need to be a lot of clean up, and extermination of roaches.  My vacation was starting in two days, and I was looking forward to it.  It was going to be a vacation to see relatives, but it was always a good time.  So, I headed to the vacant house.  I was armed with roach spray, and roach bombs, and new locks for the doors.  I would spend a minimal amount of time right now, then I would really be able to get right at it when I got back, and the roaches would be dead.  Somehow, the house never comes with roaches, but I get that bonus when some tenants leave. (One house, I opened the front door, and a shower of live roaches fell down on me from the top of the door).  Most of the mess that was left was on the outside, the inside was not too bad.  This time I had everything under control.  I would not have to be dodging, and killing roaches while I tried to clean.

     It was wonderful to visit family.  Most of our relatives are in that area, and some who live elsewhere, visited also.  We extended the time of the vacation, and took the grandkids to an indoor water park for a few days.  After I returned home, and rested for an extra day, to get caught up, I knew I had a mission to accomplish.  Clean up, and paint the rental property.  I entered the property, ready for a full day's work.  I didn't see any roaches run, good!  But, what was happening?  I was being attacked, by something.  Mostly, it was around my ankles, but I felt myself being bitten on my forearms also.  Roaches don't do that,... fleas???, no the lease didn't allow for pets.  I couldn't take one second more, so running from the house, I stopped to brush fleas, (what seemed to be millions), off my ankles, shoes, and arms.  I got in my car, and went directly to get flea spray bombs.  Can you believe it, the same spray that can kill a roach doesn't kill a flea.    As I was buying the flea bombs, I was alternating between trying not to scratch, and scratching without using my fingers, so supposedly no one would know I was scratching.  Anyone who saw my contortions, knew I had some kind of problem.  I got the flea bombs, and went back to the house.  Ran in, and set them off in all the various rooms, all the while trying to hold my breath, so I wouldn't get the fumes in my lungs.  So, I ran outside again, repeating my ritual of brushing off fleas.  As I drove home, I tried to decide the best sequence of events, pressing the gas, pressing the brake, or scratching my bites.
As soon as I got home, I took a nice long hot shower, then spayed some bite relief on me, took the clothes I had been wearing to the laundry room.  In the laundry room was a basket of clean clothes that had been taken out of the dryer earlier.  My PJ's were there, so I put them on early, and relaxed, as much as I could, (except for the itching).
     The next day I took off.  Besides the discomfort, I wanted to make sure the fleas were dead.  So, the next morning, I started out in my car, for the house, to really get it done.  What was that?  A   bit me.  So, I detoured, and went to the store to get more flea bomb.  Right then and there, I set off that flea bomb in my car.  I waited a while, then went back out to air out the car, so I would be able to drive it without being overcome.  While I was killing time in the store, I saw a special of men's work socks.  I decided to buy some of these to put on right over my shoes, just in case there were more fleas.  I was also thinking of getting some flea collars, and putting them around my ankles, but the package strictly warned against human use.  There must be other people who think like me,... scary.  Well, the car was ready for me to drive.  Thank goodness, no more fleas.  I went to the house, and as a precaution, I put on the socks over my shoes, and on top of my jeans. (It's not real easy).  I wasn't disappointed, there were still fleas, not as many as before, but some had escaped the "nuclear attack".  I had purchased some extra bombs, so I decided to continue working for a while, and use the bombs before I left.  I set off the bombs, and before getting in the car, I took off the socks, and threw them away.  The drive home was uneventful.  Well, I finally got the fleas, I thought.
     When I got home, I took a shower, but this time changed into other clothes.  While I was eating supper, I started to feel uncomfortable in the area of my bra.  It was a  .  Yes, remember those clothes I threw into the laundry room, and there was a basket of washed clothes nearby.  Yes, even though those clothes had since been put away, a flea had hopped into the clean clothes.  Okay, time for the flea bombs!  Fortunately, it only took one time at my house.  But at the rental house, it had to be done again in 14 days to kill any that hatched.

     Now, mind you, I am not a sissy when it comes to bugs.  I will usually flick bugs away, when others are screaming.  But, from then on, I let a  pest control company go to battle for me.  They can get the battle scars.  Not me!  Ooh, my ankles are itchy, now my waist, oh, oh, my neck.  Could it be??

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