How Bizzarre

This is not a big deal but it's a first in my life and I have to pen it down.

Also because in the big picture of things that have been happening to me, this is one funny ironic twist.

So I was out with Joyce last night just catching up and having a glass of vino and some yummy dinner at Dempsey Road Woods by the Wine Company when it was about time to go home and I suddenly felt a big sting on my left outer calve. It was the kind of pain (AT FIRST) that you would think.. oh no.. fire ants and automatic response is to sweep it away with my hand.

We were sitting outside where there are many trees and the place, surrounded by greenery. Very nice.

Anyway, suddenly, while sweeping it away, the sharp piercing bite sting feeling hit me in between my forth and fifth finger. And it started to get worse. It felt venomous. I looked down, of course it was completely dark. We had candles at our table _ Yeah that kind of romantic setting except that Joyce is my best friend and she's not a boy.

I digress but details make my life happier and more colourful. Like staring at a photograph and noticing more and more things... yeah.. digress again.

So I started relating the pain to someone burning me with a cigarette bud and sticking it in further.. that was when i realised that it was not fire ants. And all these things went through my head.. Snake? Centipede? Bug? Bee? And as I tried to brush off the pain, literally, it started running up my leg and my hand started to feel numb and tingly, full of pressure like I was tourniquet-ed. I then made my way to a side light and lifted up my pants and found a puncture mark (single) in my calve and in my hand. And it started swelling.

I wondered then if it would be appropriate to take off my pants as fears that whatever hit me was still taking refuge in my pants... Hair standing moment.. and as i write this, my goosebumps are activated. I decided that it was not a snake nor a centipede nor a bee. You see.. when you watch enough National Geographic, you lean that snakes and centipedes leave 2 holes in your body. Bees will die after stinging you.

At that moment a waitress comes up to me and insists that I go to the clinic and was very quick to respond that I go see a doctor and come back to her with the bill - where they would reimburse me completely. I started apologising (because that's me) for feeling bad that they felt bad but decided that Joyce and I should go see a doctor anyway. I've heard horror stories of venom travelling fast to the heart or allergic reactions that could kill you. Though I felt completely stupid because it wasn't bleeding. So I went.

Got a jab, got antibiotics and was under observation. Thank god the swelling started going down and there was no more heat coming out of the sting areas, though I do have two circle markings on my leg because the doctor wanted to make sure it didn't grow further.

So I feel a little squirmish now not knowing what hit me. But from intelligent guesses from people around me, most think it was a scorpion! !@#$% That's just too freaky thank you very much.

I must mention that the restaurant was very responsible but I must admit that I was a bit suspiscious when they were so quick to react, but I guess it is all good so I shouldn't question their good intentions. I guess I was a little puzzled because it seemed to be a common thing. The doctor did tell me that a couple of months back, someone who was at that same restaurant came in with a centipede sting.. argh. So much for pest control which they claimed was carried out that same morning. But it doesn't matter because I think it could have been much worse.

The funny thing about this as i reflect is how ironic life can be.

I was in Bangkok for 6 weeks dodging bullets and molotov cocktails as well as grenades a couple of weeks ago and I didn't even get a scratch on me. But here, while i'm just chilling out and doing absolutely nothing and being brain dead, I get stung. Don't take comfort for granted.Padumpum.

Sometimes life throws you curve balls, long or short, and you literally won't know what hit you.. or stung me but life goes on, hopefully.

Bring it on.