When I arrived at school and opened the back door of my car at work this morning, I freaked out. There was a centipede crawling around by the edge of my back seat!

I did not have anything with me to try to catch it and did not know what to do. I foolishly tried using my sandal, which didn’t work. All that did was get it to disappear into a crevice by the back seat. I started to freak out even more. I was not going to be able to work until the centipede was caught. I went in, told the office about the centipede, and asked if any of the custodians were around. They are the saviours of our school. One of the custodians came out with metal tongs. We tried to take the back seat apart to find it but couldn’t figure out how to lift it up. Another custodian just arriving at work drove by and asked what was up. He parked his truck and came over to help. I told them to tear my back seat apart. Do whatever was necessary to catch that centipede. I was not driving that car again until it was out of my car.

They told me that it had to have crawled into a compartment under my seat. That was not good! They said they would spray bug spray. I was not that thrilled about the bug spray but I was desperate. They assured me that the combination of the bug spray and the heat would kill the centipede. I was not buying it. I have had experience with centipedes from my old school. The centipedes invaded our classrooms on a regular basis there. They are the most difficult creatures to kill. Bug spray was never effective. Luckily I had an assistant at that school who was always up for the kill. Each time we found a centipede in our class, I would scream, grab my kids, and move as far away from the centipede as possible while she would kill it. Basically I was no help at all.

So, I went back into the office to sign in for the day. I saw my walking buddy and told her that my worst nightmare had just happened and then told her about the centipede. She said that would be her worst nightmare also! Centipedes in Hawaii are not those little worm like creatures with a lot of legs. They are HUGE and thick and long and so so creepy. I would rather have a mouse in my house or car or even the creepiest spider or other type of bug in my car than to have a centipede. Most people that get bit by a centipede end up going to the ER because the pain from the bite is so severe.

I was able to go back out to my car around 10:30 to check out the situation. I opened the back door hoping to see a dead centipede. Instead, there it was, wiggling around, by the edge of the door. Once again I had nothing with me to catch it. I stupidly tried to get it out with my keys. Back it went under the rubber thing by the seat. I started to freak out even more. What if it stayed in the compartment and we never found it? I was seriously planning my overnight stay.

I couldn’t concentrate on anything else. At lunchtime, I went to the office and asked if anyone had any chopsticks. With chopsticks and a plastic fork in hand, I bravely went back to my car and started to poke around by the rubber thing. I saw some legs wiggling. I let out a loud scream, held my breath, and somehow was able to get that centipede out of my car. I quickly jumped in the front seat, started my engine, and drove my car to the opposite side of the parking lot. My heart was racing. I was so relieved but still shaken up. I went back into the office to tell everyone how I got the centipede out of my car. My walking buddy asked me if I saw the second one. She said they usually came in twos!

Out of sight out of mind was my policy. I had to believe that there were no more centipedes in my car. The creepy thing is that most likely I drove all the way to work with the centipede in my car crawling around. Ewwwww!!! I hate centipedes!!!