Living in north Florida when the seasons change we often go back and forth between Cool and Heat on the air conditioner. At the end of last week, it was cold enough that we actually turned the heat on. And then it warmed up. Sunday night I was sitting in the living room thinking, "I am hot." By the time I was ready for bed, I was really warm. (For those of you who have never had a migraine.... sometimes the connecting of the dots doesn't happen as quickly as it should.) Anyway, it FINALLY occurred to me to check the thermostat. It was 77 degrees and still in Heat mode. *Aha*
So, I turned it back over to Cool and the outdoor fan/compressor/whatever that thing is made the most HORRENDOUS racket I have heard in a long time. Every time the air came on, it banged and clanged. It was so loud that I could hear it in my room. For hours. At 2am I finally fell asleep.
Yesterday it was the same. I called someone.
The guy just left. Of course, it wasn't banging and clanging when he came out. ***shocking*** However, he listened to my tale and checked everything.
He did find a gecko plastered against the grill. Dead. Yep. The lizard was blown around by the fan until he hit the cage and stuck.
The theory: when I turned on the air after it being off all day a horde of geckos were inside the unit. They all were thrown around relentlessly until they were small enough to make it out the cage. Yeah, not a pretty picture. By the time the repair guy arrived today, one lone gecko was all that was left. I would feel horrible about this loss of gecko life if not for the fact the little buggers are EVERYWHERE. I am constantly finding them in the house, trying to catch them (easier said than done), and then put them back outside. When I walk the dog, they scatter across the sidewalk like roaches when you turn on the light. I have actually had thoughts that if there were ever some sort of nuclear attack the only thing left here in north Florida would be geckos. We are awash in them.
And you thought that they were only on TV.
So, what did we learn from our unlucky gecko friends? Don't drop in on places with blades even if they aren't moving right now. You just don't know when someone is going to flip the switch.
