TheBanyanTree: Killer Kitties

[trebro at att.net]

I think I'm cursed to bring mice with me wherever I go to live. First my 
parents house, then the Bloomfield streetfront, and now the Casa de Liz and 
Trebro. (Apparently, both Brooke and my grandma were able to wield their anti-
mouse magic. Too bad I can't kill them for their secrets...)

At any rate, earlier in this lease, Taz, the elder kitty, got himself a 
mouse. Tonight, it was a group effort.


It started when Snitch and I were in the bedroom, reading Dan Savage. Snitch 
perked up his ears, and then dashed for the kitchen sink. I hadn't even 
registered that he was gone yet. I heard rattling dishes, and I was about to 
chastise Tax (who does that often) when I saw, somewhat silhouetted against 
the stack of dirty pans, Snitch with a thin blob hanging out of his mouth.

He saw me, and took off for the living room, where Liz was sleeping.

"Liz! Snitch has first mouse, and he's headed your way! Wake up!"

She did, and she watched him while I went and got the mouse-catcher. In the 
meantime, Snitch promptly lost the mouse behind my computer. I was chastised 
for not moving in sooner, but in my defense, he was in the corner where I'd 
have no hope of being able to keep the mouse trapped.

Snitch, who is new to the mousing game, wasn't able to figure out how to get 
the mouse back. You see, play mice never hide like that. So, since leaving 
the mouse in the house was not an option, I called in the Taz.

Taz had also been sleeping, but in the bathroom. He was slow to realize there 
was a mouse around. I had to basically guide him to the scent, but once I 
did, he was immediately on the case. Within a minute, he had the mouse, Liz 
had the Snitch, and I got to play take-away without 10 other defensemen to 
help me.

My first problem was that while Taz had the mouse, he also had the phone 
cord, which was on the keyboard. In short order, both phone and board were on 
the ground, and Taz was taking his catch to the bedroom, growling all the 
way. I stayed in pursuit, looking for my chance. No dice. I was going to trap 
him in the bedroom, when he made a dash through the side door and into the 
kitchen.

I went out of bounds and used the other bedroom door, but no official flagged 
me. That's a shame, because maybe the official would have been able to help 
me. I could have used extra hands. I managed to get my one hand on Taz, and I 
praised him, while trying to get the mouse-catcher over the mouse's body. Taz 
gave just a little, but not enough. In the ensuing tug of war, the mouse's 
head severed from its body with a sickening pop. I nearly puked.

By this time, Liz was able to help again, having kept Snitch at bay in the 
bathroom. I told her what happened, and asked for food so we could get Taz to 
let go of the head. I was very worried that he would try to eat it, and I 
worry about disease in mice. I don't care if they are the second most 
intelligent species on the planet, they carry germs.

She put down the food as I tried to get Taz's mouth open. No go, either way. 
Eventually, the realization of what had happened started to sink in, and I 
felt very queasy. I let Liz deal with trashing the dead body, and keeping an 
eye on Taz. I can't thank her enough for that--if I had had to move the dead 
body, I think I might have really hurled. I practically killed a mouse with 
my bare hands.

While I gave soothing words to Snitch, Liz kept trying to get Taz to let go. 
Finally, he dropped the head near his food, but wasn't quick enough getting 
it back, and Liz captured *him* and tossed him with me and Snitch. Taz, 
thinking Snitch and I wanted his mouse, growled at us and made a nice, two-
enemy-long hisssss.

Soon, the mouse was gone, Taz forgave us, and we all went about our nightly 
rituals. It truly had been a group effort!

-Rob