michael7733
07-07-2007, 02:02 AM
He had chosen his hideout with little or no logic. It was a cubby approximately 14" wide X 14" tall X 22" deep, and was a part of my desk that was used mainly to store items that I used often, such as typing paper, a dictionary and my Bible. It so happened that I seldom reached the full 22" into its depth...how fortunate that was for my "guest". On rare occassion, I would see him sitting in the shadows, peering into my world with whiskers twitching and nostrils open wide in order to benefit fully from the flavors that floated by. At least twice I detected a shadowy streak that disappeared almost faster than it appeared. Since lack of activity indicated that there was no family involved, I felt that there was no need to disrupt the apparently harmonious coexistence that the two of us had achieved. I knew full well that this would change quickly if my wife were to discover that I was harboring such a critter. Two years went by, and my friend and I conveniently avoided eye contact.
When we sold our house and moved, I really did not consider the little fella in the decision to relocate. I even sold his house in a garage sale. I cannot say that I have missed him, but I must admit that I have thought about him from time-to-time. Ah well...life must go on.
Last night I was watching a television show, and out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw a mouse feasting on a plate of leftover scraps of food from that night's supper. Obviously, this was not the same mouse that found discretion to be the better part of valour in our past relationship. When I arose to investigate, he did not even flinch. Instead, he continued to feast and completely ignored me as his host for the evening. Still, taking no chances, I stayed in a low posture, eyes counter height, in full bradykinetic throttle, in hopes that I would startle the tiny intruder enough to make him realize that the last thing he wanted was to mess with the likes of me being placed by my wife on the merciless mission to seek and destroy. He continued to feast, and continued to ignore the inevitable encounter with the husband of the farmers wife (that would be me...another life...another story involving 3 mice). I approached with no plan in mind. I didn't have a clue as to what I was going to do if he didn't move soon. It was then that I realized that his posture had changed. Was he....no way...he was on his back, feet in the air, taking a...nap?
Fearful that at the last moment before capture, he would make a sudden decision to fight rather than flee, I searched the counter top with frantic eyes for something to throw over the now-twitching body. Was he dreaming? I drew closer. I only looked away briefly, but when my gaze returned, there he was...fully awake... feasting again. This was the final straw. I would have no mercy. I reached out to grab him behind the neck, but it was gone, the neck I mean. A neckless mouse is a rare find. Even more rare is a legless, neckless, faceless mouse who was able to transform him self into a potato. Can you imagine that? Yes I can. Thinking back, I should have known something was up, for this was the first mouse I had ever "seen" wearing a cowboy kerchief around his disappearing neck.
michael b.
When we sold our house and moved, I really did not consider the little fella in the decision to relocate. I even sold his house in a garage sale. I cannot say that I have missed him, but I must admit that I have thought about him from time-to-time. Ah well...life must go on.
Last night I was watching a television show, and out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw a mouse feasting on a plate of leftover scraps of food from that night's supper. Obviously, this was not the same mouse that found discretion to be the better part of valour in our past relationship. When I arose to investigate, he did not even flinch. Instead, he continued to feast and completely ignored me as his host for the evening. Still, taking no chances, I stayed in a low posture, eyes counter height, in full bradykinetic throttle, in hopes that I would startle the tiny intruder enough to make him realize that the last thing he wanted was to mess with the likes of me being placed by my wife on the merciless mission to seek and destroy. He continued to feast, and continued to ignore the inevitable encounter with the husband of the farmers wife (that would be me...another life...another story involving 3 mice). I approached with no plan in mind. I didn't have a clue as to what I was going to do if he didn't move soon. It was then that I realized that his posture had changed. Was he....no way...he was on his back, feet in the air, taking a...nap?
Fearful that at the last moment before capture, he would make a sudden decision to fight rather than flee, I searched the counter top with frantic eyes for something to throw over the now-twitching body. Was he dreaming? I drew closer. I only looked away briefly, but when my gaze returned, there he was...fully awake... feasting again. This was the final straw. I would have no mercy. I reached out to grab him behind the neck, but it was gone, the neck I mean. A neckless mouse is a rare find. Even more rare is a legless, neckless, faceless mouse who was able to transform him self into a potato. Can you imagine that? Yes I can. Thinking back, I should have known something was up, for this was the first mouse I had ever "seen" wearing a cowboy kerchief around his disappearing neck.
michael b.