White Worms

Where did they come from? But most importantly, why did they choose to attack one of my most personal items? No matter how close you are with your family and friends you would never share a toothbrush with your brother, sister, mother, father or even best friend. Yet, these maggots decided that their new home would be my toothbrush.

Groggily, stumbling around trying to get ready for the day, I pulled my toothbrush out of its protective case. Luckily, I looked down before I started smearing white toothpaste all over the white squirmy object on my toothbrush. Upon further investigation, this “protective case” has become a home and breading ground for dozens of maggots.

Before you begin to question my sanitary habits, let me tell you that I have been working at a camp in Nosy Be. While this beautiful island has an Italian equivalent of Club Med, cold beer and good pizza, is home to 10 lakes and obviously surrounded on all sides by water, there has been a water shortage. However, sanitation must go on. I did not give up the habit of brushing my teeth but I did not always completely wash it off when I finished. To make matters worse, my approach has been to forcefully suck the toothbrush free of the toothpaste. Questions are racing my head. Have I been sucking maggot eggs into my mouth after every meal? How long does it take for maggots to hatch? When will they hatch inside of me? What will the results of these actions be? I will keep you posted.