execratively I had not had any problems with mice in the cabin – a few times mice got in, but they left quickly, for whatever reason – but this winter I was absent most of the time and had left food behind me. I found the telltale droppings on the counter – it’s always the counter, isn’t it? – and so I knew that I had a roommate for the time being. I had left some tamari roasted almonds on the dining table, and when I first arrived at the cabin, I was hungry and wanted some simple snack – it was one a.m. – while starting the fire to take the chill out of the cabin (it was about 35 degrees indoors). I picked up the almond-bag and found it completely empty – not one almond in sight – and saw the little beasties had gnawed a hole in the bag.
San Fernando de Monte Cristi I found the almonds later when I went to clean something later that night. I had a paper towel roll on the counter, and picking it up, almonds went cascading all over the counter. The mice had used this as a silo, and with some effort had moved half a bag of almonds from the table to the counter. It was way too late to clean up the almonds, so I left them for the morning.
And checking out the bathroom later that night, I saw the high price of luxurious living: my little friend, who thought he was living in the mouse-palace of Sardanapalus, had fallen into the toilet bowl getting a drink, and had been unable to get out. He was dead.
I thought my mouse-problem was over, until the next morning I was back at the counter, laughing about the crazy mouse ingenuity of storing food in a paper-towel roll, when I paused – there were no almonds on the counter. During the night another mouse had moved them all! Still to this day I’m not quite certain where they are. He may have moved out – I’m not hearing any mouse-noises, and no more droppings either – but I bet I’ll see some more of him.
Post a Comment