BATS!

Here's a story from the new land:

Last night about 10, as I was consuming the third book in the Mitford series, the neighbor on the other side of this here fourplex pounded on the door. I finally answered, first yelling a "WHO IS IT?" through the door. Well, so, then I peek out through a barely-opened door to find him and a lady friend (perhaps caretaker?) and he's holding a glass jar.

With a bat in it.

Which he had just caught in his living room.

Yes, it appears the space between the first floor and the upstairs units is filled with a colony of bats! They had entered his apartment through a hole in the ceiling.

"I want to get those holes fixed! " he exclaimed. "But first I want the bats out of there!"

No kidding. Me too!

Most things don't creep me out too bad. Rodents do, for sure. I freak. And bats. Add bats to my freak-out list.

Not sure how this batty issue will resolve. I'll check with the landlord myself to make sure my neighbor reports this to him.

But I do have one card I can play. The city property inspector was an old friend of mine way back in high school days, and was one of the first city officials I ran into in an official capacity when I started working here. I've got his number. If anyone will have an answer, it'll be Billy -- er, Bill, as they call him now.

Consider it an understatement when I say I had a leeeetle trouble getting to sleep after that!