Dating : Second Thoughts ~ One Brown Mouse

I immediately offered to get mouse blocks to offer them a last meal. Avalon objected. She insisted that we get live traps and then set them free elsewhere. Out of love for her, I agreed to her approach, though skeptical of the outcome. We went to the store and acquired a pair of live traps that seemed simple enough. We baited them and set them near the offending cupboard.

The next morning, we had mice in our traps. We did the following morning and the one after that as well. Avalon collected them in a box that they could not chew through. She fed the captured ones and threatened to name them. I sent her to the park to set them free before we became foster parents to a brood of mice.

I learned a lesson then. I learned to think before taking the path of death for creatures unwanted in my home. That has allowed other mice, bats, snakes, and spiders to received mercy and even respect from me.

That was then. Since Avalon went walkabout, I have had other encounters with unwanted creatures wishing to invade my space. Thus far I have been able to hold onto the good attitude and usher varmints away without harming them. Avalon and I were talking this week and I told her that I suspected that I had a mouse. I had ordered a pair of live traps similar to the ones we used back then. In brief, I caught the whiskered, wandering sneaker this morning. He was quite frightened and I immediately took pity on him.

After preparing for my morning prayer time I took the live mouse, Mr. Delacroix, to the nearby park and set him loose. He sat there for a moment squeaking at me. I could not tell if he was thanking me or inviting me to tea. After of moment of pondering that I was probably too dumb to understand him, he scampered off to a nearby wood.

I was reminded of how beautiful a creation the small brown mouse is. I was intent on the way in which they are so confident and frightened all at once. I am also certain that my conversation with Mr. Delacroix about love and mercy was better received that it would be by most humans. We will see if he has relatives inhabiting my abode. I will name them all and release them there. My goal is to be a good steward of creation and be kind to a few mice. This also protects them for the mating pair of Black Racers living in the garage.

One Brown Mouse — Jethro Tull