12 February 2008 Tuesday

Scary godzilla chikchak

Chikchaks/little geckos in Malaysia/Thailand are very common household residents, and are typically small guys, about 3-inches long. I ran into a “real” gecko yesterday — the kind that’s about a foot long. And thicker. And I know they don’t bite (?) and they’re more scared of me, and they eat mosquitoes which makes them my friend…. But still, having one within inches of you on the wall of the bathroom stall…….. it’s not cool, Zeus. Not cool. This guy was almost 15 inches long from head to tail. And chubby. With gecko eyes. I had to be very, very brave, knowing it was right at my back and could pounce (dart) at me at any moment.. I felt pretty silly, being wary of a gecko, but also rather zen-warrior-like to survive that bathroom.

…
Reassuring Dad:
“The big geckos are like the little chikchaks, right?”
“Yes, except that the big ones could eat you if they wanted.”

Gah!