Sometimes you don’t seek a war, but it is war that seeks you out. Suddenly the hand of destiny leads you on around a bend where you see War staring at you with a deadpan ex-pression and daggers in eyes. The realization that you are at war hits you suddenly like a squirt of colored water from a pichkari aimed squarely between your eyes and you just realize life isn’t going to be the same again, till the war ends. “Am I equal to this?” you ask, but know deep inside that the answer doesn’t really matter. As a certain Caesar has been know to say - Alea iacta est - The die has been cast.
The indications, the odd skirmishes, the sinking feeling that a resolute faceless enemy had set its sights at a peace that was yours and yours only to enjoy has perhaps been growing over a period of time. But a sense of denial perhaps prevented you from seeing the enormity of the threat. Until a day came when you came face-to-face with your war. A war with The Ants.
For a past few months, ants (big black ones with red behinds) have invaded my home and happiness. In the beginning it was the odd onesie-twosies that showed up on the bathroom walls, discreet; either ignored or casually disposed of with a whack of the slipper. Within days the numbers strarted to swell and these critters began venturing outside of the bathroom to the wash- basin area; and then onto the leaving areas of house. These sneaky critters are smart, they come out after 10 at night and are gone by day-break. If I was not an insomniac I perhaps wouldn’t have even know of this attack.
In couple of months, the numbers that now pays a nocturnal uninvited visit has burgeoned beyond what any householder can turn blind eye to any longer. Still the prospect of a full-scale war seemed far. It was felt that drowning them in buckets of water, putting white cements and putty into the cracks through which the ants come out would perhaps act as a deterrent. But the enemy has proven to be more resolute than that. For every crack closed, a couple more were discovered and exploited. The long black column keeps coming, keeps getting bigger. So now, there is no longer a choice, O Arjuna, the time has come to wage a righteous battle against the relentless onslaught.
The two army regard each other - silent, cautious and observant. On onside is the army of the invaders, hundreds upon hundreds of ants - intelligent, industrious, deadly. The other side is the army of the defenders, who are three in number - two aging computer engineers and their three year old progeny. The progeny of course is not a fighting resource, he is around to boost the moral of ol’ Mom and Dad, as they get ready to wage the battle royale.
The adrenaline rises to unheard of levels, and is not heard from anymore. Fear stalks every corner looking for something to scare and returns home dejected. Hark, the bugle sounds - nah! that was just the passing train but let us pretend it was a bugle.
Tonight we make merry, sing old forgotten Viking songs of Thor and Odin, sharpen our claws and fangs, write blogs at odd hours.
Tomorrow we go to war. An all out war with invading Ants.
Har Har Mahadev.
The indications, the odd skirmishes, the sinking feeling that a resolute faceless enemy had set its sights at a peace that was yours and yours only to enjoy has perhaps been growing over a period of time. But a sense of denial perhaps prevented you from seeing the enormity of the threat. Until a day came when you came face-to-face with your war. A war with The Ants.
For a past few months, ants (big black ones with red behinds) have invaded my home and happiness. In the beginning it was the odd onesie-twosies that showed up on the bathroom walls, discreet; either ignored or casually disposed of with a whack of the slipper. Within days the numbers strarted to swell and these critters began venturing outside of the bathroom to the wash- basin area; and then onto the leaving areas of house. These sneaky critters are smart, they come out after 10 at night and are gone by day-break. If I was not an insomniac I perhaps wouldn’t have even know of this attack.
In couple of months, the numbers that now pays a nocturnal uninvited visit has burgeoned beyond what any householder can turn blind eye to any longer. Still the prospect of a full-scale war seemed far. It was felt that drowning them in buckets of water, putting white cements and putty into the cracks through which the ants come out would perhaps act as a deterrent. But the enemy has proven to be more resolute than that. For every crack closed, a couple more were discovered and exploited. The long black column keeps coming, keeps getting bigger. So now, there is no longer a choice, O Arjuna, the time has come to wage a righteous battle against the relentless onslaught.
The two army regard each other - silent, cautious and observant. On onside is the army of the invaders, hundreds upon hundreds of ants - intelligent, industrious, deadly. The other side is the army of the defenders, who are three in number - two aging computer engineers and their three year old progeny. The progeny of course is not a fighting resource, he is around to boost the moral of ol’ Mom and Dad, as they get ready to wage the battle royale.
The adrenaline rises to unheard of levels, and is not heard from anymore. Fear stalks every corner looking for something to scare and returns home dejected. Hark, the bugle sounds - nah! that was just the passing train but let us pretend it was a bugle.
Tonight we make merry, sing old forgotten Viking songs of Thor and Odin, sharpen our claws and fangs, write blogs at odd hours.
Tomorrow we go to war. An all out war with invading Ants.
Har Har Mahadev.
Injured ants pant hard… try Laxman Rekha (not VVS and D/o Gemini Ganeshan)
how are the ants deadly??? unless they bit in the very wrong places
ha ha!!!! Very funny….until you said yourself, “WAr With the Ants”…. no one could have guessed that!!! very beautifully written…. I hope you succeeded in your mission against driving rats out of your house….. :)))
thats really a lovely write up.perhaps the enemy is well organised,,but dear why you consider these ants as enemies? black ants in home is a good omen..hehee dont look at them as ants just see aunts in those ,,love you.
Nice one. Thanks for sharing.
Hope you have succeeded.
Wish you peaceful life.
nice one thanks for sharing………..
Ants in your pants and I like your rave and rants.
B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!
ha ha ..nice write up , i did come across such infestation long back at my home…..i even had nightmare with huge red ants biting me gosh! they are a trouble to handle…
A new variety of cockroach very small in size and millions in number have done the same attack in my house! I never ever seen this variety earlier. One night when I reached my flat I got a visiting card on my door knob, that they do a very good pest control service. I ignored! After few more days this variety of insects appeared in my flat! I got the visiting card again! You can construe what ever you feel right! I use Phip-phap to exterminate them, they disappear… I happily go on a tour, come back and these insects greet me in my flat! ….. the war goes on!
let me know your experience with fighting truly battle hardened veterans and survivors par excellence , the great cock roaches ?
:))) enjoyed knowing about your mission… wish you may succeed… your enemies move very strategically though… especially before the onset of monsoon… All the best
Nooooo…pls dont kill them…i will find a proper solution and let you know…of how u can get rid of them… we generally sprinkle a lil ant powder…but thts for small ants…
and they r gone in few hours or a day…
sigh..how can u guys not like antz???
hey Jim..that was a beautiful write up…a very real problem, captured by words in such a beautiful manner…..by the way, we had a similar problem some yrs ago….got the pest control guys to pay a visit…..well, what they quoted to get rid of these gate-crashers..well we just sent them away and tried Grandma’’s recipe ….rub a concoction of DDT n kerosene….cver the party area….kept them ants at bay..for 4 days in succession..this went on for nearly two yrs….now the friends seem to have migrated else where….