big mistake

ok, so I’m talking to my mom on the phone last night when one of the cats – Mel – lets out this noise and I look over and see she’s got an effing mouse in her mouth! I get up and say, “OhmyGod!”

Instantly Mel and the mouse disappear under the bed.

I walk around and catch a glimpse of the mouse scurrying into the closet. He vanishes into the forest of everything I can hide in there – chests and unworn footwear, a painting of something, the vacuum.

My mom wants to know what’s wrong and I tell her and she wants a play by play which I give her, all while listening to this awful scrabbling noise that sounds like a cat trying to find a mouse. And all I can think is, wow. Big mistake, mouse. Do you have any idea how many cats live in this house?  

Still, I’m afraid to go look. I don't want the mouse to be caught. I want him to find his way back outside. I want to tell him to hunker down in that closet for the night and sneak out once the cats are sleeping. Maybe he can escape. Not that I hold out much hope. I mean, the odds are very much in the cats’ favor.

It’s quiet right now except for whoever is in the closet at the moment, searching for that poor mouse. A few minutes ago they were all gathered round, listening, looking, knowing something was up. Ready to pounce.

I get up finally to look, and see Mel and Narsa slink out of the closet, as if nothing’s going on. I turn the light on, move a few things, thinking maybe I can catch him myself – before one of the cats do. But there’s too many places a mouse can hide so I go back and sit down.

My mom tells me about the Woman’s Club and the money they’ve raised for charity and I tease her about liking Dancing With the Stars. Mel slinks out from under the bed.  


I wonder if the mouse will make it through the night.

I hope he does.

I really don’t want to wake up to his remains in the morning.  


ps that's Evie in the pic. But Mel looks just like her except littler and fatter with eyes like saucers and a black spot on one toe.