A Life Lived In Fear

..Is no life at all. You must stand tall in the face of looming threat in order to count yourself worthy. This is a point I've tried to convince E of.

We've spotted a few cockroaches in our new place, which is no surprise. But one time E spotted one on, or very close to, our toothbrushes. This sent her into a lock down frenzy. Toothpaste went into cabinets. Toothbrushes were squeezed into those plastic travel cases. An army stood outside the castle walls, and my wife armoured up, drew the drawbridge and went and hid in the tower.

I on the other hand, have gone bravely out to war, bold and unafraid, meeting the enemy on the plains. They tremble at my trumpet blast. I will not live my life in fear. I refuse to have my toothbrush in a travel case, as though I am a mere visitor on my own (rented) land. And besides, E was jamming two toothbrushes into one case, and my bristles got all mangled and crooked after the first night.

Unacceptable.

So while the wife and kids go off to into their little shells, trembling through the night, my boy lays out in the open, bristles up, exposed to all manner of night visitations. Brazen? Yes. He dares anyone to mess with him. Bring it. BRING IT!

You know what my toothbrush is like? Canada. Across the way, there's ol' America locking it's doors and windows, sleeping with one eye open due to high crime rates, while Canada is just over yonder, sleeping easy, with doors and windows unlocked. Show them you are afraid, and they will sense it and seek you out.

Look the monster in the eye. Meet it blow for blow. Don't give him any ground. If in times of trouble you turn to the travel toothbrush case, the battle is already lost.

I shall fight them in the kitchens.
I shall fight them in the bathrooms.
I shall never surrender.