28 December 2011

Of mice and men


For some time now I have thought that I have been sharing my home with a mouse! This thought came to me not from nibbled packets of food, but from some droppings on my parquet flooring I noticed when hoovering. Last night I saw her/him for the first time. It was such a wee creature and so sweet as it ran hastily away from me out of the bathroom and into my bedroom. I did not chase it but left it alone......... for now. 
How did such a wee creature get into my flat? I live on the fourth floor. The stairs and corridor floors are made of marble and this small creature could surely not have climbed five flights of stairs, assuming it came from the cellar and not the street level. One step alone is taller than the mouse can be, even standing on its hind legs. So perhaps it took the lift?
 My problem now is, should I be a man and set a trap to kill it or should I be a mouse and catch it alive to set it free in Hanna's garden? It seemed so sweet. Already I have been a mouse and fed it some cheese. Just now before I began to write this piece, I set a piece down near where I know it now to be and it has taken it already. Perhaps I should just keep feeding it and keep it as a house pet? But no, I fear it must go, but how; to kill or catch that is the question?