S: What is the lifespan of a lizard?
A: That's a strange question.
S: They are everywhere this summer. Tiny baby lizards. And they creep me out. I actually killed a couple yesterday. I think they will haunt my dreams.
A: They are harmless. You shouldn't even bother with them.
S: Harmless! A cute puppy is harmless. A lizard is a pest. Which brings me to an odd question...
A: Oh dear... This is about religion isn't it?
S: You are so perceptive. Well, if keeping pets in the house is a no-no, and an intelligent animal like a dog is or a cat is impure and to be shooed and shunned... what about all the nasty things in the house? Like lizards and cockroaches and spiders and woodworm. Don't they make the house impure and make the angels stay away?
A: I guess it's about intention. You give a dog a home. But you can't help the pests being there.
S: Really Ameen? Giving an animal a home and loving it is so wrong?
A: No. Not at all. You can be kind to animals. Doesn't mean you should have them in the house.
S: But the are in the house. Look at this ant here. Should I kill it because it's impure? Or should I carry it and deposit it outside my house?
A: I get your point. Now don't make a scene. The last thing we need in Ramzan is mullahs getting whiff of this "debate" and giving a fatwa against house lizards and termite.