Friday, August 28, 2009

Saving A Life

When I went out to mow the grass this morning (all my kids are in school now!) there was a big (and I mean BIG!) and fat (and I mean FAT) worm on the garage floor right by the door. I was immediately grossed out (not a worm person).

I wasn't sure what to do because this was right where I needed to roll out the lawn mower. Then I noticed it wiggling and trying to move. As the floor was dry, this was quite difficult for the little fella.

I was in a quandary. Either I run the fat thing over and it is then squished on my floor and I have to somehow remove it, or I move my van so I can roll the mower out without having to come near the wormie, or I move it before I get the mower out and maybe save the little thing's life. I realized that whether he lived or died, I'd still have to move him off the floor. So, I chose the third option.

I carefully slid a garden trowel underneath the wiggling part of his body and used a garden rake to pick up the back side of his body so he was entirely on the trowel. I quickly ran to a puddle in the dirt next to our garage and deposited him into it.

He didn't move. I thought maybe I drowned him. I'm not kidding. I was actually worried about the little bugger, despite the fact that I DID NOT want to pick him up. I stayed and watched a few seconds for signs of movement. After not seeing any, I decided to go mow the grass.

After finishing the front yard, I looked in the puddle again, and it still appeared that he was dead. No movement at all and still in the same blob as when I'd dropped him in. I went to mow the back yard.

When I was finished I was amazed. There was the worm's body moving and wiggling and heading out of the puddle into the dirt. I saved him. Me! I saved the worm.

The moral I took away from all this: Don't leave your garage door open while it is raining, dumb worms will crawl inside and then I'll have to remove them alive or dead. Eeeewww!