I first noticed it when I knocked on a pillar.
It made a hollow sound.
The following morning, I heard the floor creak as I walked across it.
I called an exterminator. The technician peered under the floorboards, shone a flashlight, and was silent for some time. When the inspection ended, a look of genuine sympathy had settled on his face.
“You have quite a few in there.”
Our forty-year-old house had a severe termite infestation. The humidity under the floor was high, creating ideal conditions for them. I sank into my chair when I saw the figure on the estimate.
I could not tell my wife.
That night, scrolling through my phone in a state of helplessness, one article caught my eye. The title was “Southeast Asian Wisdom.” The author’s profile listed sixteen years living locally. According to the article, no chemicals were required. The termites could be handled through entirely natural means. The comment section was filled with expressions of gratitude.
I put the insecticide I had already bought away at the back of the cupboard. This was a method I never would have thought of myself.
I started the following day. Following the article’s instructions, I gathered the termites with my bare hands. At first it took some courage. My fingers trembled, but within three days I had adjusted. Eventually I was able to locate the nest. Total cost: zero yen. I was grateful to Southeast Asian wisdom.
My wife noticed what I was doing and called over.
“What are you doing?”
“Making a drinking snack.”
When I tried eating the termites, they were surprisingly shrimp-like. Unexpectedly good. [1]
[1] Termite consumption is genuinely practiced across parts of Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Indonesia, and Cambodia, where certain species are roasted, fried, or incorporated into local dishes. They are valued as a protein-rich food source and are reported by some to have a mild, slightly nutty flavor with a texture not entirely unlike shrimp.
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【1分小説】東南アジアの知恵(11作目)
最初に気づいたのは、柱を叩いた時だった。
中身がスカスカの音がする。
翌朝、床を歩くときしむ音も聞こえた。
駆除業者を呼んだ。作業員は床下を覗き込み、懐中電灯を当て、しばらく無言だった。作業が終わった時、その顔には気の毒そうな表情が浮かんでいた。
「かなりいますね」
築40年の我が家にシロアリが大量発生していた。床下の湿気が高く、シロアリにとって理想的な環境が整っていた。見積書に記された金額を見て、私は椅子に沈み込んだ。
妻には言えなかった。
その夜、途方に暮れながらスマホを眺めていると、一本の記事が目に留まった。「東南アジアに伝わるシロアリ駆除の知恵」というタイトルだった。書いた人物のプロフィールには「現地在住16年」とある。記事によれば、薬品は不要で、自然な方法で駆除できるという。コメント欄には感謝の言葉が並んでいた。
私は購入していた殺虫剤を押し入れの奥にしまった。自分では思いつかない方法だった。
翌日から実践した。記事の手順に従い、素手でシロアリを集めた。最初は勇気が必要だった。指が震えたが、3日もすれば慣れた。ついに巣を特定することができた。駆除費用はゼロ円。私は東南アジアの知恵に感謝した。
私が駆除している様子を見て、妻が声をかけた。
「何しているの」
「おつまみを作ってる」
シロアリを食べてみたら、意外とエビっぽい味がして美味かった。