Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

*Shiver*... my worst phobia

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • *Shiver*... my worst phobia

    I came in to work on Monday, and there was a pump sitting on my returns table with a note saying it had "seized up".

    I moved the pump off my table and over to the storage shelf. The whole time I was thinking, "This thing really stinks." I handled the pump while I got all the details off the side and the whole time, I was thinking, "I really hope this was not used for sewage, since I'm using my bare hands here." I wiped away some rust from the side so I could read the date code and serial number.

    I heard from the manufacturer of the pump yesterday, and I was given permission to toss out the pump once I had peeled all the labels off to send back to them.
    I was pretty busy with our weekly freight, and didn't have time to do that, so the pump sat there stinking up my work area for another day.

    Today, the guy who had taken the pump back was walking by my work area and I said, "You know, that pump really reeks."
    He said, "Yeah, I know."

    So, a few hours later, I was sitting at lunch, and that was the moment he chose to inform me why the damned thing stinks.
    It wasn't used for sewage. Oh no. In fact, I rather wish that had been the explanation instead of the actual reason.

    There was a dead snake all caught up in the impeller inside the motor of the pump.

    There is nothing I fear or loathe more in the whole world than a snake. It is my worst phobia.
    When he told me about the snake, I was almost sick to my stomach thinking about it. I had handled that pump with the dead snake inside.
    That stuff I wiped away, thinking it was rust was probably a combination of water and snake blood with a bit of rust. The pump was only a month old. There was no way there would be that much rust. It had to be blood.

    I wouldn't rest until I got someone to peel off the labels for me and get rid of that stinking thing. Now it's all I can think about, and I just shudder. I am probably going to have a nightmare now. I have washed my hands about 10 times since I found out about it.

    The thing that ticks me off the most is that they lied about the problem with the pump. It is not seized up due to a defect, and they shouldn't even have been given a warranty.

    Did I mention I hate my job?
    Last edited by Ree; 09-25-2008, 12:39 AM.
    Too tired of living and too tired to end it. What a conundrum.

  • #2
    You may not believe this; but, I honestly got a cold shiver just reading your story. I can watch snakes on TV no problem; but, I cannot handle the thought of being close to a live or dead snake at all.

    Comment


    • #3
      My husband killed a baby rattler in the backyard earlier this summer. Usually I don't mind snakes as long as they stay in their space and don't invade mine. I would't go in our backyard for a couple weeks after that.
      I am no longer of capable of the emotion you humans call “compassion”. Though I can feign it in exchange for an hourly wage. (Gravekeeper)

      Comment


      • #4
        "Ree? Why does the floor move?"

        *ducks*
        "We guard the souls in heaven; we don't horse-trade them!" Samandrial in Supernatural

        RIP Plaidman.

        Comment


        • #5

          You rotten little....!!
          Too tired of living and too tired to end it. What a conundrum.

          Comment


          • #6
            I love snakes. <3
            Ridiculous 2009 Predictions: Evil Queen will beat Martha Stewart to death with a muffin pan. All hail Evil Queen! (Some things don't need elaboration.....) -- Jester

            Ridiculous 2010 Predictions: Evil Queen, after escaping prison for last years prediction, goes out and waffle irons Rachel Ray to death. -- SG15Z

            Ridiculous 2011 Prediction: Evil Queen will beat Gordon Ramsay over the head with a cast-iron skillet. -- FireHeart

            Comment


            • #7
              *hands pet snake to Ree*

              don't worry, it only bites if you smell like a small rodent(I found that out the hard way )

              Comment


              • #8
                Quoth jedimaster91 View Post
                My husband killed a baby rattler in the backyard earlier this summer. Usually I don't mind snakes as long as they stay in their space and don't invade mine. I would't go in our backyard for a couple weeks after that.
                My parents dog alerted us to a snake in their pool area, nobody could figure out what he was going on about until I saw it doing the head weave thing. I'm not a fan of snakes either. Stinging insects are a worse phobia though.

                I've heard that putting out mothballs will keep them away but I'm no expert. Maybe the MB snake lady could answer?

                And as to the OP? So nasty. So, so nasty.
                "You are the dumbest smart person I have ever met in my life!" Will Smith, 'I, Robot'.

                "You LOSE! Good day, sir!" Gene Wilder, 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory'.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Actually, in my experiance, mothballs do work. We used to put them out at the first hotel I worked at (in the NC mountains).
                  Ridiculous 2009 Predictions: Evil Queen will beat Martha Stewart to death with a muffin pan. All hail Evil Queen! (Some things don't need elaboration.....) -- Jester

                  Ridiculous 2010 Predictions: Evil Queen, after escaping prison for last years prediction, goes out and waffle irons Rachel Ray to death. -- SG15Z

                  Ridiculous 2011 Prediction: Evil Queen will beat Gordon Ramsay over the head with a cast-iron skillet. -- FireHeart

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Quoth Evil Queen View Post
                    I love snakes. <3
                    Quoth nomorecarts View Post
                    *hands pet snake to Ree*
                    I know people are just trying to be helpful, and I realize many people do like snakes and keep them as pets, but this my phobia, as irrational as it may be to some. I would prefer not to have it made light of and get lectures on how wonderful snakes really are. That's your thing, not mine.
                    If you are a snake fan, please do not be offended because of my phobia.

                    Phobia of the creature aside, it was still a pretty gross situation to unknowingly have that dead creature decaying inside a pump one has handled repeatedly, and then be told about it as one is eating lunch.
                    Too tired of living and too tired to end it. What a conundrum.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Snakes are my phobia, too.

                      I was so scared reading your story that I nearly cried, and I'm still shivering.

                      If you have to ask, it's probably better posted at www.fratching.com

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        *hides her ratties from the snakes*

                        There are some real idiots in the world. I don't even want to know how a snake got in there in the first place.
                        "Hi, this is Silver. How may I lose my self respect in order to cater to your over- inflated ego today?" --- Silverrb

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Ree, how horrible for you My thing is spiders... and oogy-boogies (cockroaches, which I have trouble even saying the word, thus the name). Now I'm lucky in that I haven't seen a live cockroach since I was 18 (when my first apartment was overrun with them), but I see spiders EVERYWHERE.... the fun bit being that a spider obviously built a nest in my car at some point, and I'll randomly get spiders travelling across my windshield INSIDE the car while I'm driving. I've had about fourteen of the dirty little buggers thus far - first one actually caused me to freak out, slide into the guard rail, and shred a tire, but I didn't do any other damage to the car, fortunately. The tire alone put me way behind and I'm still playing catch-up four months later

                          So I can COMPLETELY understand where you're coming from *hugs* Phobias are nothing to make light of (while I don't have a problem with snakes, and in fact like them - to a certain degree - I do understand having irrational fears VERY well, because I have more than a few of my own!) would you feel better if you took a lysol wipe to your desk?
                          GK/Kara/Jester fangirl.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Whoa Ree, who's offended? I'm certainly not and dropped the subject after mentioning I liked something you didn't. People do it all the time on this forum. I even agreed with another poster about a sure fire method that keeps them AWAY (moth balls).

                            no one's saying mean things about it or you. Now, I certainly wouldn't give you any snake I found (they're mine, damn it!) but I'm not afraid of them so I can get rid of them if the need arises.

                            But I wouldn't keep one as a pet. They aren't snuggly enough.
                            Ridiculous 2009 Predictions: Evil Queen will beat Martha Stewart to death with a muffin pan. All hail Evil Queen! (Some things don't need elaboration.....) -- Jester

                            Ridiculous 2010 Predictions: Evil Queen, after escaping prison for last years prediction, goes out and waffle irons Rachel Ray to death. -- SG15Z

                            Ridiculous 2011 Prediction: Evil Queen will beat Gordon Ramsay over the head with a cast-iron skillet. -- FireHeart

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Quoth Ree View Post

                              There was a dead snake all caught up in the impeller inside the motor of the pump.
                              Omg, i swear i would pass out cold if that happened to me. I'm terrified of snakes.
                              Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

                              Comment

                              Working...