Monkey Business

            I am a creature of habit. I start nearly every morning off by feeding my caffeine addiction with a cup of coffee. However, two weeks ago I had a bit of a surprise during my morning routine. I was putting coffee into the filter when I heard a large thud at the living room window. Assuming it was just another bird flying into the glass, I didn’t pay it any attention and continued about my business. A short time later I heard a light tapping noise on the glass. When it didn’t stop, I turned around to see what was making all of the racquet and found myself staring into the eyes of a little monkey sitting on our window seal.

            As soon as the monkey had my attention, he stopped tapping on the window. We continued to stare at each for a brief moment before he decided that he wanted to join me for my morning coffee. He put his lips against the window and used his little hands to try to slide the window open. Unsure as to whether the window was locked or not, I grabbed my phone and slowly backed myself towards our front door. If the window wasn’t locked and he somehow managed to snag himself a seat on our couch for a morning coffee, I needed to know that I had an easy escape. Luckily for me, he got bored with me before he figured out how to open the window. 

            This little encounter with the monkey may have been my first, but it wouldn’t be my last run-in with him. I was in our apartment one morning when I heard loud screaming from the other end of the hall where the community kitchen is located. The little monkey may not have successfully made it into our apartment during his previous visit, but he had managed to make it into the community kitchen during this little drop by and he wasn’t alone. He brought along a friend. A few of the workers found the monkeys in the kitchen having a feast. They pulled all of the food out of the fridge and were obviously enjoying what was surely a jackpot in their minds. The workers managed to get them out of the building, but they didn’t go quietly. They jumped onto the thatched roof covering the outside patio and put a nice hole in the middle of it. 

            These little monkeys that have started to make regular visits to our compound bring a whole new meaning to having 'nosy neighbors.' I’ve learned to keep our doors and windows locked at all times because you just never really know who is going to drop by for a morning cup of coffee.