THE MOUSE THAT ROARED....

Do you ever spend time thinking about household mice?
Mice get a bad rap from people. They are thought of as sneaky, dirty, vicious rodents – kind of like politicians in Washington.

There are some exceptions, of course, Mickey Mouse comes to mind. Mickey is a beloved character all over the world. Movies, children’s books, toys and merchandise of all kinds picture Mickey as a lovable mouse. His live-in girlfriend, Minnie, is another mouse that is very popular. The Christian Right have started a demeaning rumor campaign claiming that Minnie is a loose-woman and a harlot. They will not rest until they break up that happy couple.

One thing is clear – mice are misunderstood and the very thought of them gives many men and women the heebie-jeebies. The manufactures of Mouse traps rack up millions of dollars each year just so humans can get rid of these furry little guys. Can you imagine a more horrible way to die than to have your neck broken while sniffing a piece of domestic cheddar cheese? It’s cruel and inhuman treatment and I hope the American Civil Liberties Union takes up their cause. Rats are people, too!

Imagine the Geezer’s glee when he read about a story from Fort Sumner, New Mexico. A mouse got its revenge against a homeowner who tried to dispose of it in a pile of burning leaves. The 81-year old homeowner said he caught the little, tiny mouse inside his house and wanted to get rid of it. Why? Maybe the mouse was there trying to sell “Mouse-Scout” cookies in order to work its way through college. Did this homeowner ask? No, “I had some leaves burning outside, so I grabbed the bugger and threw it in the fire.” Talk about a brutish act of vengeance. “The mouse caught on fire and instead of acting like it should have, the damn thing ran back to the house.”

Fort Sumner’s Fire Chief said the burning mouse ran to just beneath a window of the house. The flames spread up the window and through the house. All the contents of the home were destroyed. The man and his wife were forced to move into a motel room. I hope it has rats. The good news is the brave mouse gave back more than he got from this inhuman-human bully. “Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Mouse.”

It’s about time mice stood up on their skinny legs and issued a warning to homeowners across the country. Treat us badly and cruelly and we will take action in kind. Don’t screw with Mickey Mouse!