Today Traci, my wife, had a run in with one of the bats at Bellaire High School. I'm not talking about any crazy people, though. Turns out there are probably three or four colonies of those vampy critters there. As she walked the hall to her class room early this morning a bat flew down the hall and at her head.
Because it seems there was contact between her and the bat, she was sent to the ER to get the rabies vaccination. At least six students were sent for treatment as well. I couldn't understand all the hub-bub until I learned that rabies is fatal in every documented case except for one. Needless to say, I was supportive of the preventive medicine.
It stands to reason that if there are three colonies of them at BHS, then the school should be shut down until the infestation is taken care of. This isn't the first time bats have been in the belfry at BHS. The school library was closed for several weeks back in February to deal with more bats. The school is putting kids and faculty at risk, and in addition, the entire Houston ISD is at financial and legal liability. Closing the school for a day or two would be a low cost to pay versus a worst-case scenario of death by rabies.
There is a great upside to this story, though. This afternoon the Youngest Sister bounded in the door from school, having ridden home with her mom and hearing the whole batty story being told to a friend on the phone. With big eyes she came into the living room where I was writing and exclaimed, "Daddy, Mom got a shot in both her arms and in both her hips!"
I quizzed back, "Why did she have to get a shot?"
"So she won't get rubies from a bat."
"Really? What are rubies?"
"They're special like diamonds but bigger and they're red."
"And you don't want to get rubies?"
"I think they're poisonous for you."
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