Fall Arrival
September 21, 2004
Today fall seems to have arrived. It’s rainy and cold, and I’ve been sullenly sipping tea all day. I don’t like cold. I like warmth, and sun, and the freedom to chase thundering herds of children outside.
But no, they want to stay inside, where it’s warm. And they’re not the only ones. Flies found their way in (only to be hunted down by Tre, the mighty fly-slayer). And this morning I saw something in the garage. A bad little something.
Mom was on her way out the door, to work, and asked me if I had a stamp she could borrow. I said sure, and headed out to my van to get her a stamp. When I opened the garage door, I saw it. Just a glimpse of tiny gray streak of life.
A mouse.
I froze, staring at the stack of power tools and coffee cans filled with nails that the mouse had taken refuge under. Mom was behind me, waiting for her stamp. She didn’t know why I’d stopped, so she helpfully reminded me what I was doing.
“Stamps, honey. You were getting stamps.”
“I know,” I whispered, “but…” I searched for the right way to explain what I’d seen. I wanted to break it to her gently. “I saw…a mouse.”
She rolled her eyes at me. She has, after all, dealt with me in the hell that is mousehood before. Ok, maybe she didn’t PHYSICALLY roll her eyes at me. Her expression remained neutral. But she rolled her eyes on the inside. The eyes of her heart? Rolling at me. And lest you think that heart-eyes are not REAL, allow me to remind you of what Antoine de Saint Exupéry said in the classic book, The Little Prince. “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.” So clearly, with the seeing rightly? Heart-eyes. Totally. What he probably meant to add there was, “but you can absolutely see mice with the eyes, which IS essential, because you’ll want to poison those gross little suckers.”
Now I have to choose, do I attack the vermin with all manner of traps and poisons that don’t actually WORK? Do I take my MOTHER’S suggestion, which was to bring the Claire (our beautiful, stupid cat) out to the garage, so she can make FRIENDS with the mouse? Or do I feign ignorance? Just tell myself I was mistaken; I didn’t see a mouse AT ALL and go merrily on my way?
Well, guess which option I chose?
And by the way, TRA LA LA.
the other option is to give Tre a hammer and say "son, today you become a man" and send him in to slay the beast.
but personally, I'd just let the little mouse live as long as he stayed in the garage.
Posted by: christopher | September 21, 2004 at 10:51 PM
Sullenly sipping (Lolita)... thundering herds (Hatari)... Fly Slayer (Land of the Lost?)... Mice refuges (Charley or Willard)...
Excuse me: who "borrows" a stamp? I continue with my observations,
The little prince (ok you read books)... then your commentary faded with proper reference to the Cinderella cast with tails.
Oh well - I guess it was late. ;)
Posted by: Mark | September 22, 2004 at 05:49 AM
"without proper reference" Darn I hate when I do that.
Posted by: Mark | September 22, 2004 at 05:57 AM
Mice never just "stay in the garage." Stupid Claire needs a nice neutered hunting companion. You can name him Slayer Sam.
Posted by: Linda Sherwood | September 22, 2004 at 06:29 AM
Did you have to remind me that mouse season is coming? Eeeek.
Posted by: Mir | September 22, 2004 at 06:36 AM
I kind of like Christopher's suggestion...give all three boys hammers (but let's get the cars out first) and turn 'em loose in the garage.
I forgot, this morning, to tell Martin about the poison. Good luck. (Rolling the eyes of my heart)
Posted by: Amma D | September 22, 2004 at 06:51 AM
My Dad's cat likes to bring the mouse to him once it has been killed. Like he is bringing an offering to the master to show that he is still worthy to be a member of the family.
Posted by: Brian | September 22, 2004 at 08:34 AM
Classic post. Laughter and merriment ensued. Didn't get much sleep last night. If giving them hammers and turning the boys loose in the garage to slay the mouse, by all means, GET THE CARS OUT FIRST!
Amma D, I still say a guest post on occasion (Kira takes a day off once in a while, I've noticed...) would do us all good. Stop rolling those eyes of your heart. I'm serious.
Heart eyes! 8)
Posted by: Keri | September 22, 2004 at 09:23 AM
Ohhhh I hate mice! If you are anything like me, I cannot rest if I know one is near by. I keep my feet on the couch at all times and run quickly from one "safe zone" to the next. Thank goodness I have two black labs and two cats that keep rodents at bay. Good luck getting rid of the uninvited guest!
Posted by: Carrie | September 22, 2004 at 10:08 AM
Three cheers for an Amma D guest post! Not saying I want Kira to take a day off, though. Maybe a tandem post.
Posted by: christine | September 23, 2004 at 08:09 AM
Okay, here's a possibility to consider. You could catch the little guy and let him go outside. He is, afterall, only doing what he was created to do. I bought trap and release boxes on ebay and they work great. And no, I am not a PETA freak. I just don't like to kill things, don't feel it's my place. Here's a link as an fyi: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=20651&item=4325999150&rd=1
PS - I really enjoy reading your blog. You write beautifully.
Posted by: Jill | September 23, 2004 at 12:30 PM