I once heard a comedian say that humans rule the Earth because we are the only creatures not afraid of the vacuum cleaner.
I kinda have to agree.
I wouldn't say Sam's exactly afraid of the vacuum cleaner, but it's certainly not on the top 10 list of things she'd spend time with. To help her overcome her reticence about it, I asked Nana to get her a toy vacuum for Christmas last year (and Nana got a Dirt Devil that really works, God bless her!). So when it's time to sweep, I get out my vacuum and Sam gets out hers (we store them together in the pantry).
A few weeks ago, I had the vacuum sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor, and Sam was standing beside it, her little red vacuum at the ready. I carried the cord to the wall and plugged it in.
And the vacuum turned on. I must have bumped the switch or left it in the "on" position the last time I used it.
Sam freaked. She looked like Shaggy in a Scooby-Doo cartoon: Her legs were pumping up and down like crazy, but she wasn't going anywhere. After a couple of seconds, she got some traction and took off for the living room, her little vacuum biting the dust on the floor.
I was howling. It was mean, I know, but man, it was funny. I turned the sweeper off and went to hold her and apologize for not checking before I plugged it in.
Now, anytime I'm going to vacuum, I warn her.
Me: "Sammy, I have to turn on the vacuum now."
Sam: "OK, Mommy. You turn on the vacuum n' I'll go hide, OK?"
Being a cat, my Jack-Jack also high-tails it out of any room I'm in with the vacuum. Mojo, our puppy, would like to check it out, but he's not sure yet whether it's going to eat his tail. And there's a good chance my husband just might be allergic to using it.
So what does that mean? It means I get to vacuum in peace. I'm all alone. No one pesters me. Nobody needs anything from me. I can't hear anyone hollering for help to pee, or any animal barking or meowing, or anybody asking me for a back rub.
It's my little moment of paradise.
Funny how it now takes me longer to sweep ...
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