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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Charity (05/08/25)
A Mouse Tail

Over the course of the years, in my time as an apartment dweller, I have had encounters with various creatures of the outdoors that have entered my domain. I have had mice on numerous occasions, lizards (one time I even had an alligator lizard on the dresser in my closet. How it got there remains a mystery!) and bedbugs (I'm not sure these are outdoor creatures, but how else would they enter, if not from outside somewhere), and, of course, spiders. Oh, and let's not forget the humble ant. But this is a tale of the day I inadvertently showed charity to a mouse. I use that word, charity, lightly, because once a mouse has entered my domain, it is never my intention to do such a thing, but to eradicate it.

It had been several years since any mice tried to share my space with me, because about three-four years ago I let management know that something had to be done, as I had mice many years in a row. I won't torture you with the details of how three were caught at once. So, a pest control company was called and the gentleman who performed the task was very thorough, and I hadn't had any mice until... recently.

Yes, I thought I heard tale-tale (or is it tail-tail in this case?) signs. But I just chalked it up to my imagination, until a few nights later. Oh boy, I wasn't imagining things this time. I got up from my comfy recliner, where I had settled in to watch a movie. I went into the kitchen, opened the pantry and put everything a mouse could chew through in plastic containers. I also emptied the trash can. I found 'evidence' on the kitchen counter. Ugh, here we go again, I thought. I had no idea how the mouse could have gotten in, since the 'solution' should have been mouse proof, which it probably is. The little stinker probably just found another way in.

Satisfied that I'd done all I could for the night, I went back to watching my movie, oh, this was after I also shut the bathroom door and my bedroom door and put bath towels snugly against each!

The next morning when I opened the pantry door, I noticed a sandwich baggie with dark chocolate in it had fallen into the open trash can (I had one without a lid – not anymore! I bought a steel one with a lid!). I figured the mouse had knocked it off the shelf, so I picked it up and put it back – wait, what's that?! I looked closely at the bag... ugh, a mouse tail! Yep, the mouse was inside the baggie! Who knew mice liked dark chocolate enough to chew through a baggie to get to it? I quickly dropped it back into the trash can. I grabbed another baggie from the drawer to put it all in, picked up the baggie from the trash can and the mouse fell out. Now what? Well, I had no choice but to carry the trash can out to the dumpster. I knew the mouse couldn't crawl up the slippery sides of the plastic can, but I screamed and dropped it anyway, as the mouse was running around in there, as quickly as I was trying to get to the dumpster! The mouse (probably as freaked out as I was) scurried back toward my apartment. Thankfully, I had had the presence of mind to shut the door on my mission out to the dumpster.

And, that is how, I inadvertently showed charity to a mouse. I haven't seen or heard one since.







This is a true story.
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This article has been read 249 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Marlene Custer 
05/17/25
Quite an interesting tale! I think the word you were searching for is ‘tell-tale’ signs. : )
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
05/19/25
Oh what a delightful story. You made me chuckle so many times. I had a frog in my house once or twice. The only way we figured is Mama frog laid eggs in the sump tank in the basement. No idea how frog got up the steps to the house, but my husband thought I was rescuing them. I did put it outside, but didn't bring it to the basement. I liked your take on the topic. It was fresh and out of the box. I thought your tale-tale/tail-tail was just a type of pun. It made me laugh. And since I show charity to frogs, mice and spiders, your story spoke to my heart!
Laurie Kiel 
05/20/25
We have had pack rats and tarantulas here in Arizona. I feel for you. I got a chuckle out of “tell tail” signs. A delightful story well told.
Lynae Fisher
05/20/25
This is a cute story, though I'm not sure if accidentally showing charity really counts if it is the thought that counts, lol. Mice are quite cute with their tiny little innocent looking pleading faces. (Newborn mice are not. They are hideous, naked, gross looking things that only a mother could love. I've found a couple nests outside while doing the cat's job for her...)
Your description of the mouse's antics did seem quite realistic and now I'm curious how you caught 3 mice at once! That is a trick I would like to know!