I once moved out of an apartment because of a massive flea infestation that the manager refused to do anything about.
It was awful. Disgusting. Bad for my dog, my sister's cat, and my sister and I. I had to move out of my bedroom because that's where they were coming in. Even after numerous flea bombs. Nothing worked.
So we literally borrowed money for first, last, and deposit elsewhere and moved.
Because fleas are small but incredibly annoying. And at first they're just an irritant, but eventually they make you lose sleep, and you itch constantly, and you can't get anything done.
Sometimes I wonder if these petitions and thoughts and social media shares are doing any good. I'm just one person, just one number on that petition count of thousands.
Maybe I'm just fooling myself and trying to make myself feel better about not doing enough, I think.
But about a year ago, I posted a quote from Marian Wright Edelman, a woman who has dedicated her life to speaking out for children through the Children's Defense Fund, among other things.
I forgot about that quote until it showed up recently in my Facebook feed as a memory to look back on.
Here's what she said:
You just need to be a flea against injustice. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make even the biggest dog uncomfortable and transform even the biggest nation.
So for now I'll keep being a flea.