I have this affinity for mice. I think they are so cute and cuddly! Ask my mom, she kinda freaked out the first time this affection manifested itself.I grew up in a developing neighborhood with alfalfa fields behind me and a dirt lot in between my bestie playmate Nathan's house and mine. One day while in Kindergarten, Nathan and I were out playing Heman in his backyard when we saw his cat running into the alfalfa field. For some reason (unbeknownst to my adult self) we followed the cat and saw it pouncing on a mouse. I freaked. We chased the cat away, I scooped it up in my loving arms and kissing it as we ran to my house.
I remember running through my garage yelling for my mom. She (probably thinking I had another nosebleed, very common at the time) and my grandpa quickly came to the door. I held the little guy up for them to see, asking them to help it. However, I was shocked by my moms response. She was repulsed. She yelled at me. My grandpa took the dead mouse (yes, ends up it had died) and threw it away while my mom washed my hands a few hundred times and washed my mouth with Scope. I was so confused, how was I suppose to know mice were no good? I mean they were my favorite characters in Robin Hood, which I watched weekly with my friend Robbie. The friar mouse helped feed the poor when Nottingham was at its bleakest. And need I mention the champions in Cinderella? I mean, how can you not love gus gus over that evil kitty?!
Rats however are a completely different ball game. I learned they were evil from that scene in Lady and the Tramp, when rats get into the house and the dogs go nuts trying to save the babies despite grumpy auntie and (evil) Siamese cats blocking their every move. Even now, if I see a rat I shiver in disgust. A mouse on the other hand, I go "awh!" Sometimes while I'm waiting for the metro I see a mouse scampering on the tracks and I smile. Even today as I was walking to my car I thought it was just a leaf blowing across the garage pavement. But as it began bouncing/hopping under a car, I realized it was a pint-sized mouse (literally, about the size of my thumb). I grinned and thought "cute little guy!"
3 comments:
I used to like mice too, but that changed when one time at Lake Powell I felt all of these little things running over me and it was mice. Under the mattress was a whole little clan of baby mice. Ever since then, they kind of weird me out. Anyways, luv ya and I need to chat with you soon!!!
Awww! I like them, too, but I have had to smash them in traps before :( Also, is it just me, or does Gus Gus seem like he is slightly retarded? I've thought that since a few years ago when I saw him again as an adult.
Let me give you a tad bit of perspective....
I opened a can of cream of mushroom soup this week to make a sauce.
I found a chunk (and I mean chunk) of mouse hair/flesh at the top of the can.
The thought of mice make me want to hurl just about now...even though they're cute. It's just when you're about to eat one that they get less cute.
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