Roomies

A few nights ago I was awoken by the sound of scurrying. I had seen the occasional mouse darting around the house, so I was unconcerned about the night pursuits of this particular creature. That was until I found it's rather generous
'contributions' next to my pillow the next evening. A germaphobe to the core, I've been proud of my ability to shrug off the occasional lack of soap and water while here, but this was asking too much. Even my economy-sized bottle of hand sanitizer cannot save me from textile contamination.

Upon further inspection, I discovered the mouse's lair; a cozy little corner under my bed which was housing not one mouse, but two. How quaint. Having been chummy with all sorts of critters as a child, the prospect of sharing my room with them was not the issue, but that was when they ( and their droppings) were confined within four very separate walls. My bed was, is, and will always be off limits! So I'm left with a problem. Either I kill the mouse, or live with the mouse's residue. Option number two is not really an option, so I'm forced into a moral dilemma. Catching the mouse and setting it free does not seem either possible or practical, since it could always return, and mouse catching resources seem to be rather scarce here. A man approached my friend yesterday, selling a capsule he claimed could both kill rats, as well as fend off indigestion, but I was not convinced. Call me crazy, but those two problems seem like they should remain separate for several very good reasons.

Back to the situation at hand, I have lain awake under my mosquito net in a state of dread. What will the mouse go after tonight? Will it climb the curtain and disgrace the pristine pile of books lying defenselessly on the corner of my table? (Horror of horrors!)Or will I reach into my pocket looking for peanuts one day and find something not at all peanut-like? (insert involuntary shudder here) Last night I spotted a cricket heading in its direction and was silently praying that the two would finish each other off. As they are actually about the same size, this scenario did not seem as improbable as one might suppose. Alas, the two disappeared silently under the bed as co-conspirators, in all likelihood plotting their joint attack and toasting to my untimely demise.

I fear this stupid rodent may reduce me to hanging my belongings from the ceiling and sleeping in a hammock! Well now, this is just getting ridiculous... Unfortunately for my furry fiend, I have a slight presentiment that tomorrow may find me trotting off shamefully,in search of the indigestion/rat poison man.