The Trouble with Tribbles

If anyone has seen this startrek episode, you will understand the title. If not, google it. :)

This morning I was doing my normal watering routine. Since it is (give or take) a BILLION degrees outside this week, I have to water almost every other day. We have a palm out back in a pot that has been on the mend since my dear, sweet Sophia has decided to take a liking to the flavor of it. I was checking it out, noticing that something has been eating - no, "nibbling" ("eating" is reserved for Sophia's verb) - on my one and only leaf. "Grr!" I said. "This poor plant!". It had started growing toward the sun, so I reached down to turn the pot so it would grow the other way, and... "OUUUUCHHHH! OMG OMG THAT HURTS OMG!!" Just then I saw the culprit tumble to the ground. A little fuzzy cocoon had trickled off the pot, onto the table and through the holes. I was in burning pain, so I didn't research it any further at that moment. I looked at my hand, and couldn't see what the beast had done to me. Was I imagining it? Was this a mental pain? I pondered that for a second. Then my hand exclaimed, "THROB!!!". "Hello?! I saaiiidd THROB! THROB! THROBBY THROBITY!" Sophia, obviously not grasping the fact that my hand would combust if she so much as sniffed it, wanted desprately to see what had pulled any attention she had the possibility of comandeering, away from her. "What is it Mom? huh? huh? what had happened? yuck yuch, ooh - shiny thing- huhugh!". I ran inside to wash the fire out of my hand, but it wasn't helping. I was immediately sick to my stomache. What had this thing done to me?! I got a benadryl out of the medicine kit, and some ice from the freezer, and grabbed an empty pickle jar (what? you don't have one of those lying around? ha!) When I got to the crime scene, the little a-hole was still there! Didn't it KNOW I'd be back for my revenge? But then I looked at it. It looks like a Star Trek Tribble! Little brown fuzzy bugger. I looked around him, thinking, "this thing couldn't have hurt me. what else is there? I can't tell my friends that a marshmallow brought me to my knees!". But this was it! I scooped him into the jar, honestly thinking, "if I die, I want them to know what happened.". I wondered if I should bring him to the hospital with me so this new species of killer alien could be discovered, and I would get a prize for taking the first blow from this fuzzy killer cottonball! I texted Exo a picture of him, and went next door to show the neighbors. Thano gave me some ice and we googled "stinging caterpillar". After a few very strange, very ugly, finds, we found him! Apperantly they are pretty common. Damn! No prize for me. He is a (ridiculous - this is the name of the little squishy critter that tried to eat my hand) Puss Moth Caterpillar. Puss Moth? Seriously?! Yep, that's him. His little hairs are poisonous, and stab into your skin. That - it did. I don't have to go to the doctor, but I would love a volunteer to cut my hand off at the wrist please. Here is a link so you can learn about the wonders of our outside world and the PUSS MOTH CATERPILLAR! http://neuro.bcm.edu/eagleman/asp/ Ha. Dumb thing. I named him... Pussy. Now who's laughing? Huh? Huh??? Jerk. I'm going to lay down. And he... is still in the pickle jar!