A Bat in the...Hallway!?!

I promise to catch you up, but I thought I would share tonight's excitement--a bat. A bat that flew through the bathroom window to avoid a rainstorm--probably hung out over me while I carried out my nightly routine--and then, as I open the door--decides to make a break for it, too! I don't realize this though until I turn the corner to go into my room and a thump hits the wall behind me.


First thought? Crumbs, a koswe (mouse).

Which is a totally reasonable assumption--considering I have been the recipient of a nightly serenade for the last week or so. He left a gift, too, but fortunately it was left ON TOP of my mosquito net.

And then there's the mouse that ran out from under the couch I was sitting on while I led worship. This event led to a quip along the lines of: "Even mice run at the power of the word of God."

Or the pair doing the rondo in the ceiling above my head as I set up for class. (I believe they have added the polka to their repertoire and have now migrated to my bedroom ceiling to join the four-legged Lothario--I'm really hoping they don't go a-la-RiverDance on me!)

I really didn't want to check--see, unless an animal (or insect) is injured or in pain, I can't kill it. I just can't. This has been mind-boggling to the girls at times, but I've managed to rope three of them into budding entomologists. We've gone from "Ewwww! Eeekkkk! Auntie, no! I can't look at it" to "Ooh, Auntie, look-look-look! Do you see it's colors? Here, let me catch it for you!" That, however is for another entry. Back to the bat.

So, I brace myself and turn around. There's a tiny little body crammed up against the molding. I look for a tail, but I don't see one. Maybe it's wrapped up under it...nope...that's an arm! A long arm...that's a bat. 

Now what.

In hopes that I am imagining things, I step into my room, turn around, and go back to the hallway. Nope, didn't imagine it. It's still there.

Several thoughts go through my mind:

• Kill it: Can't do it.
• Leave it: Fine, until I need to use the bathroom or it decides to drop in for breakfast. I can already visualize the screaming and yelling of the ten girls; some of them swinging brooms, maybe a thrown chair or two, and a fair number diving under the tables. And, in the chaos Ba Auntie, myself, and a visiting guest doing her practicum also screaming.
• Scream: But that will result in the girls running to find out what is wrong and thereby setting off the above scenario. But in the confines of my hallway.
• Catch it: How? And a bat=possibility of rabies. I have my booster on board, but do I really want to risk having to get the series of post-exposure shots?

Catching it seems like the best option. But how? Mosquito net is too big and awkward--could also get tangled around the little guy (he was quite cute from what I could tell). A cup--but I just filled it with water--besides, if it tried to fly...then what!?! A blanket? Same problems as mosquito net, but add crushing and possibly smothering it. A-hah-- my canvas hat!

Well, I get the hat. Walk to the doorway and take a deep breath. And toss the hat over it. I don't hear a thing. Now what? I somehow need to pick it up and then take it outside. But even if I do manage to pick it up, the doors are locked. This means it's time to tell Ba Auntie (and, by extension, the girls).

The girls are a mixture of scared, fascinated, and dumbfounded that I'm trying to catch it. I look up and realize that I'd actually been rather prescient--two girls have already grabbed brooms. I tell them that they are to wait and stay out of the way. One calmly asks if she can go with me to see it. Why I say yes, I'm not sure.

She comes down the hallway and we both stop and stare at the hat on the ground.

"That's it?"

"Yep," I say.

"Now what?" she asks.

"Um...I don't know. Pick it up somehow?"

"But how?"

"I guess just go for it--stand back."

My first attempt fails since I can't feel through the hat. It crowds deeper into the corner. When I look up I see nearly all the girls lined up in the hallway. I shoo them away and then give it a second go. I think I can feel it inside the hat so I try to carefully fold the brim up and around it. I then make a break down the hallway--where the girls have plastered themselves along the wall. They gather around me as I pass and Ba Auntie goes to get her keys.

So, I stand there. Hat with bat in hand. And wait. Finally, the door is unlocked. I step out and put the hat down but the bat doesn't leave. I tip the edge and it scurries off and then about two feet up the wall. A couple of the girls start screaming and I see that two of them brought out brooms.

"Don't you dare!" I say as I grab the brooms.

"But Auntie, it's just going to go back inside!" they protest.

"I don't care--" and then I start to go in to my lecture about ecosystems and food chains and why bats are so important to us. The girls' eyes start to glaze over but the mission is accomplished when the bat makes the corner of the house.

Phew--batricide avoided!

Hopefully someday I will be able to get you caught up and share the day to day highlights. It's been a long month but absolutely fantastic at the same time! Thanks to the words of encouragement, thoughts, and prayers that have been shed--they are making a difference.