Tenants hold memorial for cockroach in their hallway - it grew in size and hilarity in the most dramatic way
Insects and reptiles are one of the things many people hate. Their presence is the source of diseases in the hose. Dealing with long tails, crawling tiny feet, antennas and whatnot, is an eerie experience. However, tenants at an apartment complex in Chattanooga, Tennessee, arranged a special funeral for a special guest in their hallway, per TODAY. The residents noticed a dead cockroach and their response was top-notch. A tenant first put up a tiny memorial for the dead cockroach, but when all the others pitched in, it grew unexpectedly but hilariously.
If you stumbled upon a cockroach or another insect, the first thing you’d do is try to trap or kill it. Ultimately, getting rid of such unwanted creatures is always a priority. But one of the tenants spotted the dead creature and had other plans. Sharing in a video on TikTok, Jessie Bettis, another tenant, was baffled at the scene. She revealed how they created a cozy memorial for the cockroach. Its wings were displaced, legs inward and the sight was not the best visual. However, Bettis was stunned to see a tombstone made for the cockroach on a piece of paper with the word, “RIP” standing against the wall, just before the dead insect. But things didn’t stop there.
“Every time I came back out of my room, there were more things added. I don’t know who added what,” she recalled. Starting with a few rocks, flowers and leaves, the cockroach now had a full memorial site in the hallway. The rocks surrounded the creature’s body and soon, other tributes came in. Next, another tenant put up a poster with a picture of the cockroach and the words, “Wanted: 1st-degree murder.” The poster also offered a $30,000 reward. From a mere creative mischief, this whole scenario soon turned into a hilarious community effort. Another tenant added a placard that posed the dead cockroach as a nominee for Mayor.
The placard read, “Vote - Mr. Alfred Roacherson Jr.” Like every other politician, this cockroach had a promising incentive to offer. “If elected, Mayor Roacherson promises crimes on the 4th floor will drop by 25%” Now popular on the fourth floor, the deceased insect had more tributes pouring in. Though Bettis had no idea who came and left these pieces of art, each time she opened her door, she was surprised with a new tribute left for Mr. Roach. The tenant had an idea of who may be behind which piece of art but it was never discussed, just left as an anonymous yet united wit.
“(My neighbors and I) never really talked about it though. Whenever we’d be passing by or saw somebody, we didn’t even mention the roach. It was just this little memorial on the ground. It felt like if we talked about it, it would go away,” Bettis mentioned. Another tribute consisted of an invite to “a memorial starring the Beatles.” The last addition was a tiny bowl with a few coins for a “Campaign donation.” People appreciated the creativity and by far, the most unique rites any cockroach may have received. @shybirds wrote, “The Beatles performing is what got to me. I just know they were giggling while writing that.” @katie_rosado_photography said, “This is what community is all about.”
You can follow Jessie Bettis (@heyjessieyy) on TikTok for more content on motherhood and lifestyle.