A Mouse Tale

[This is dedicated to my sister Jennifer who so valiantly killed a mouse recently by slamming it against a cupboard wall with her food processor.]

A true story. I watched it with my own eyes.

I was coming up to a street corner and saw a mouse starting to run across five lanes of traffic. During morning rush hour, no less. I thought for sure he made his death wish.

I watched him as I waited for my walk signal in the opposite direction. He made it halfway easy enough since he had the walk signal but when the light changed, he was Frogger – darting forward, left, right, left, right, forward, wait, slow, stop!

I watched his progress with such amazement that I almost forgot to walk on my own walk signal, and I found myself looking back as I crossed to see how it all played out. I thought for sure his doom was certain with only lane to go. “Oh! Watch the silver mini van!” I actually said under my breath.

He stopped in the middle of the lane. I wasn’t sure if he stopped or if a tire helped him stop. He was not moving. I didn't think he'd been hit but maybe he had. Or maybe he was just in shock from his near-death experience.

“Come on, come on, little mouse!” I muttered, when suddenly he popped up and scurried across the last lane. Success! He actually made it. Crazy lucky mouse!

I felt like cheering or something but contained myself to a smile and a giggle. I couldn’t wait to tell my sister my mouse story – mine had a happy ending. Hers, not so much, at least for the mouse. Jennifer was semi-pleased with the outcome.