When I started in this business, 54 years ago, there were companies that specialized in arranging trade outs. In exchange for advertising space, the company would provide the newspaper with a product. I took advantage of one such offer in the fall of 1974 and traded advertising space for a cruise in the Bahamas.
That was the only exchange I participated in. It may be a good thing that I was disappointed for it has been decades since anyone offered such an exchange and I don’t believe I am missing out.
The cruise wasn’t what I expected. I’m thankful to have returned alive. For example, the company suggested fall dates were best for the fall was the off-season for hurricanes. I now believe that was a boldface lie. The company suggested fall because bookings were light. On my trip, less than half of the spaces were rented. The company said the ship had around the clock radio communication with the owner’s Florida office. That also was a lie. Lightning had struck the ship and the radio hadn’t worked for weeks prior to my voyage though it was fiexed during my voyage. The ship’s engineer told me the ship was long overdue for a dry-dock inspection but an inspection hadn’t been scheduled. Because of limited water on board, passengers were told they were to only take one shower per day. The shower head in the facility that served my room, ran 24/7 and one was soaked whenever they entered the room. It was advertised as a barefoot cruise and it had to be for water was sloshing in the below deck hallways. In later years the ship did go down during a hurricane and all on board were lost.
While company promised more amenities than it could provide,the trip was an adventure never to be forgotten.
This week a submission by Jenny Rees, a Nebraska extension agent currently based at York, reminded me of the cruise.
Jenny submitted the following;
“For about two weeks, we received a number of calls about fleas in homes from the York and Polk County area. I’m unsure why we’re seeing higher numbers here compared to other counties. I was even seeing them coming into buildings when doors were left open and would suggest closing doors. The majority of these situations involved cats that were infested, but a few also involved situations with no indoor pets. According to Kait Chapman, extension entomologist, optimal conditions for flea development is 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 percent humidity. We’ve certainly had a lot of humidity but those cooler conditions happened either before or after the first week of August.
“Regarding bites, adults typically get bit below the knee and children all over the torso. Families without pets can get fleas from wildlife and feral animals. Flea larvae look like legless worms that live in pet resting areas; adults can live there too. We’ve received a couple of calls on treating animals and would recommend you contact a veterinarian instead of us. Wash and vacuum all pet resting areas. Vacuuming alone is difficult to control the larvae. Professional companies can provide insecticide applications. External treatment may be needed regardless if one owns pets or not. Wildlife removal of outdoor animals nesting under the porch or crawl space is also a management tool.”
Perhaps fleas have also been a problem for some in this area. A co-worker said this week he had purchased more than $80 worth of flea medicine to treat one pet.
While on the cruise, one day we stopped near a small uninhabited island and were allowed to go ashore. The island had a beautiful sand beach and the clear water made for perfect snorkeling. But there was a problem. The island sand was infested with fleas. After reaching shore, a member of the cruise staff told us about the fleas and offered to share a solution. He had an aerosol can of 6-12 insect repellant and for $5 he would spray a passenger’s legs.
I objected to his proposal. My father had for sale at his gasoline station a variety of inspect repellants an entire can of 6-12 could have been purchased for less the crewman was charging for a squirt. Several of us refused his offer though I later regretted it. I suffered for days with the bites I got on my legs.
I was glad to get home and begin treating the bites.
When the cruise was over, I was sitting in the Nassau airport waiting for a flight back to Omaha.
A young woman from the cruise was also at the airport waiting for a flight to take her back to Maine.
Though it was snowing at the destination airport, she was wearing a sun dress and slides. When I questioned her attire, she said the flea bites were so bad she couldn’t stand having clothing touch her feet and legs.
Before our planes arrived, she asked that I take a seat on the other side of the aisle and use my feet to rub the bites on her lower legs.
I thought that would look strange but she said it was better than letting everyone in the airport lounge see her bending down to scratch her legs.
Thinking I was among strangers, I agreed to her request.
However, after returning home, I learned a couple from Superior were in Nassau that very day. I’m thankful they didn’t see me at the airport and now, 50 years later, we can laugh about our experience with fleas. I don’t remember the woman’s name and have no idea how to contact her but I suspect she has not forgotten the Bahama flea bites.
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