Fear Not....Or Do You?

[gbflyer]

Earthquakes. I live in Alaska 80 miles away from the big fault along the coast. We get quite a few small shakers. Almost always at night, they bring me out of a dead sleep and I head for the door.

 

[EastHumboldt]

I forgot about rats! I’m not heeby jeeby “scared” of rats, but definitely give them due respect. When I used to live in western WA near Bellingham, I had an encounter. Wife was bathing and told me there was something under the tub. I went in the basement and banged on the floorboards with a 3 ft long chunk of broomstick. There was an over size cut around the tub drain, and out comes a pretty big but normal rat running on top of the drain pipe. I swatted at it and it ran off.

Then … Jabba the Rat oozed out of the hole and sat on the pipe staring at me. I cocked the broomstick and got ready to whack. He turned his head and hissed like a cat. This rat was the size of a medium rabbit and weighed 4-5 lbs if he weighed an ounce. I was in a t shirt and skivvies, and I visualized my bare legs covered in rabid rat bites. I apologized to the rat, excused myself, went and told my wife I had taken care of it.

Got some rat traps and killed the regular sized one next day. The big guy I did a special set-up. I took a three foot hunk of dog chain and bolted it to a rat trap. The other end I lag screwed to a 16” round of Doug fir firewood about a foot in diameter. Wet doug fir, prolly weighed 15-20 lbs. The next day I got home from work, went in the basement and found the round of firewood had been dragged about four feet and the taut chain disappeared into a crevice in the stack of firewood. Sheeee-it!!

I went back upstairs and got dressed for battle. Jeans, canvas work shirt, thick hoody, coveralls over that, a leather welding shirt, a pair of those long leather welding gloves, and goggles. I cinched the hoody up around my face. I could hardly move, but I grabbed a hatchet from the garage and returned to the basement. With great trepidation I approached the woodpile and started removing firewood with my left hand, right hand cocked to strike with the hatchet. The suspense was KILLING ME !!

To my great relief, the trap had strangled him. After poking him for awhile to make sure he wasn’t playing possum, I picked him up by the tail and carried him out to the burn pile by the barn. I still wish I’d have found a way to weigh him. I wonder if he was a mutant, or a species of rat not normally seen in those parts.

 

[EastHumboldt]

Taking trash out to the garbage can in the dark. It's not the dark I'm afraid of, it's opening the lid on the garbage can. Had an experience several years ago that I don't think I'll ever get over.

You can’t just say “I had a terrible experience”. You gotta elaborate for our entertainment. Rat ate your face? Possum jumped your leg? Small creepy clown invited you into the trash can? WHATHAPPENED??

 

[Mike D Texas]

My biggest fear is my wife dying before me. I’m not a big fan of freelancing heights either but can still manage them. No huge physical fears, mostly circumstantial fears.

Amen on the wife. Same here.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I voted heights as I am dreadfully scared. Getting up in my deer stands still freaks me out. I here the OP on dancing. I just plain don't do it. I know I look like a damned fool.

 

[BigredRusch]

Public speaking for me. I coach soccer and can give team talks and run practices all day but if it’s a presentation in an official setting, I spiral.


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[Turkeygetpwnd38]

My biggest fear is my wife dying before me. I’m not a big fan of freelancing heights either but can still manage them. No huge physical fears, mostly circumstantial fears.

+1, outliving my wife/kids…. Also tsunamis

 

[TCUHunter34]

You can’t just say “I had a terrible experience”. You gotta elaborate for our entertainment. Rat ate your face? Possum jumped your leg? Small creepy clown invited you into the trash can? WHATHAPPENED??

We need the story for this one! My brain will imagine the worst and always wonder.

 

[Mangata]

Quite visceral reaction if something crawls on my skin to get it off of me.
Don’t enjoy public speaking very much either.