left behind

This is really embarassing. And funny. I'm sharing.

After taking a bath, I took a cotton bud (Q-tip is a brand!) and started doing my left ear. I then switched ends so I could work on my right ear.

Something happened. I started to feel weird. When I pulled out the cotton bud, I realised that the bud was left in my ear.

Of course I panicked. But I was able to contain myself. I knew that if I started poking, I might end up pushing it further in.

Tweezer. That was the first tool that I thought of utilizing. After four attempts, I decided that it was not going to work.

Hair pin. I held the two pins apart, put in my ear then slowly release in an attempt to catch a piece of cotton in between the pins. It didn't happen. I tried thrice. No luck.

Then I cried a bit. Maybe for two minutes.

I thought that if I had a crochet hook, it could do the trick. I started rummaging through my sewing stuff. I might have something there.

I didn't.

At this point, I admit thinking of sleeping on it and going to the doctor tomorrow morning. I also made a mental note of my morning schedule, I didn't have any meeting set up before ten thirty. I should be fine.

I was prepared to do just that, sleep on it and go to the doctor tomorrow. Only, I couldn't leave it alone.

I went to the other room and looked around.

I found a letter opener, paper clips...and a stapler. Nothing I could use. Except, maybe, staples.

I took out a staple, straightened it, curved one side into a hook using a nipper and then, said a short prayer.

With a hook at hand I closed my eyes and started at it. It sounds funny, but I actually hear when the hook hits the cotton. It gives the expression play it by ear a whole new meaning to me. The idea was to (1) poke, (2) hook and (3) pull out. The poke part was easy enough. The hook part drove the cotton further in. Bummer.

I couldn't imagine my luck when finally, I was able to pull out the staple hook--with the cotton trailing behind.

My right ear hurts like crazy now. I think it is more due to embarassment than anything else.

I feel like an idiot. But an awfully lucky, awfully blessed, awfully resourceful, awfully self aware idiot. Not too bad in my book.