The Mouse, Social Media & Robbie Burns

Ode to the Mouse

I had a mouse in my house last week and it created more comments on my facebook page than I have ever seen.  Living in a 100 year old brick house with stone basement is not going to shield the wee rodents from attempting to move in from the cold.  I got suggestions of enticements to set the traps, inquiries about the status of the little creature, and it shocked me what topics we relate of our day to day life receive attention.

I took care of the little sucker with the best death-trap that I could find at the hardware store and upon recommendation by a fellow actor and friend bought the deluxe version - they were worth the $5.99 each. (Thanks Vernon!)

My youngest son, Owen, had another plan to rid the mouse from our main floor laundry room (his hideout) and set up his "Mousetrap" game, complete with cardboard cheese cut-outs to save his little friend from my plan.  From a 6 yr old perspective, mice are cute and let's just consider his point of "mouse" reference:  Stuart Little, Tutter (Bear in the Big Blue House) and even ol' Mickey Mouse.  They wear clothes, can talk and are quite charming creatures.  I don't hold such illusions of the mouse clan.  When there is one, many follow.  They get into the walls, build nests and basically can infest my old place in no time.  

When I put him in the plastic bag (double-bag) trap and all - I gladly tied it and put it directly in the cold, dark garbage can.  Maybe I should respect all the creatures of the land, but I would do it over again.  Robbie Burns, had a much different opinion and had sympathy for the plight of the mouse - read the passage below.

Maybe the message is that we need to care more for those weaker than us - I still don't like the rodent population and even Burns cannot sway me.  xo Vagi

 From "To A Mouse" by Robert Burns

I'm truly sorry Man's dominion
Has broken Nature's social union,
An' justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle,
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An' fellow-mortal!