Irish hospitality has always been renowned for its warmth and inclusiveness. That’s why we are always welcoming new neighbors, even the eight-legged ones. Yes, you heard that right! A scorpion has stowed away from Kenya to Ireland and made itself quite at home in the luggage of a woman who recently flew back from the African country.
As expected, the woman was shocked and intimidated to find her unwanted guest crawling in her luggage, but who wouldn’t be? However, the Irish custom officials were not easily scared. They immediately sprang into action, and instead of screaming and running away like any sensible human being would, they decided to capture and remove the scorpion safely. Who said that Irish custom officials weren’t fearless?
It’s not everyday that such a rare creature makes its way to the Emerald Isle, and the news has taken the Island by storm. The scorpion has probably come here to witness the magnificent greenery that Ireland is renowned for, or maybe to take in a game of hurling – we’ll never know the real reason unless the scorpion could speak our native language.
Experts speculate on how the scorpion managed to survive such a long journey, but what do they know? Perhaps it enjoyed emirates’ in-flight entertainment or was just fond of a good giggle at the safety measures demonstrated by the in-flight crew. Boredom can do funny things to anybody, even scorpions.
In order to make the scorpion feel at home, the hotel where the woman was staying has decided to sprinkle some sand in the bathtub in case the scorpion wants to take a dip. Alas, the scorpion has disappeared, proving once again that its taste in accommodation is far more exotic than a regular hotel suite.
People are already on the lookout for the said creature. The residents of Ireland have been advised to keep their eyes peeled, just in case this little adventurer decides to explore the city. With its distinctive stinger and brownish-reddish tone, it’s hard to miss.
The incident, however, has raised concerns about border control. Some might say that we Irish are soft-hearted and too accommodating to foreigners, even the creepy-crawly ones. The authorities have assured us that the borders are tightly guarded and that this was just a rare occurrence, a fluke, if you will.
All’s well that ends well. The scorpion has discovered a newfound love of travel while being treated to traditional Irish hospitality, though without a whisky shot, just yet. The locals have yet another thing to talk about over their pints of Irish stout. Who knows? Maybe the scorpion will come back, but this time it might want its own pint of Guinness.
Finally, we get to say it. Sláinte mhaith, little scorpion!
