A Mouse's Tale - The Story of a Stowaway

This morning I was getting ready for work and checked out the shopping trolley I take with me with my CDs and headband microphone. There was a mouse in it. I cornered it and it ran up my arm and jumped clear. I looked further and found another mouse. It disappeared deeper into the trolley and I ended up taking all my things out and chasing the mouse round the bottom of it. I finally caught it amongst the detritus of bus tickets and mouse-shredded tissues. Confident that my trolley was now mouse free I packed it and caught the bus.

About halfway through the journey I was surprised to see a tiny furry head appear at the top of the trolley. I raised the lid and the head disappeared. I found it hard to believe that there was a mouse in there until I saw the furry head again a little later.

I had a problem - if I tried to catch it and it got loose on the bus or anywhere else I knew I'd never be able to catch it. There was also the possibility that other people would see it as 'vermin' and want to kill it or scream and  panic. So I needed to keep it in the trolley until I was somewhere where I could capture it. But where? The only place I could think of was the disabled loo at work. It's a separate room and the there is only a small gap at the bottom of the door. I've seen the mice squeeze through gaps I wouldn't have thought they'd get through so I was prepared to block the bottom of the door with my scarf if need be. But where to keep the mouse once I caught it? I had an airtight plastic container with me that had had Indian takeaway in it but  has been washed and which I was keeping as a 'doggie bag' for any food I might  want to keep if I had a meal out. It didn't take me long to put four air holes in the lid. I added two tissues to the box for the mouse to hide in, keep warm or shred. So far so good.

I got to work with 10 minutes to spare before I was due to start my class - 5 to catch the mouse and 5 to set up my sound equipment. No pressure  there then!  I locked myself in the disabled loo and sure enough I had to strip everything out of  the trolley. In addition to that I discovered that the mouse was able to get under the plastic reinforcing  plate in the base of the trolley so I was chasing it round and round and under. I caught it and it was a lot easier to transfer it to the box than I expected. 

I had the box on my table during the class. I partially covered it with my green poncho so that it had the option to hide if it wanted to. I was delighted that it chose to watch the class instead. I may now have a mouse that knows how to Line Dance. Anyone know a good agent? lol

After class I got it some mixed nuts and raisins - no salt - as I was concerned that it hadn't eaten. According to what I've read mice get their water from what they eat although as mine are mostly fed dry things mine drink a LOT of water. Putting water in the box wasn't an option so I went to a fruit and veg stall. Strawberries or grapes? Mice reputedly don't like the scent of strawberries so I got some grapes.

I'd really like to get a pet mouse or hamster. I went to several shops and looked at cages - to keep a pet in and to transport my stowaway. I think I know what pet cage I'd like but I drew a blank on a small transporter cage.

I went to the Wimpy for lunch - and to get some chips for my tiny friend. I chose a table at the back where I was unlikely to be observed but to all intents and purposes I was talking to a plastic container not a rodent. With all the food in it the container looked like this

After lunch I still had an hour or so before my next class. I went to a shopping centre and sat on a bench and the mouse came out and set to work on the chips, ignoring the fruit and nuts. Wimpy 1, healthy eating 0 lol It must have been at least 5 hours since the mouse had last eaten and they need to eat a lot so I was relieved to see him tucking in to the carbohydrates in the chips.

This is a photo I took in the shopping centre

The mouse was on my table for the second class but this time stayed curled up in the tissues.

After class while I was waiting for the bus the sky darkened and I was suddenly engulfed in a blizzard. If the mouse had escaped it would have been out in those conditions and its life would have been at risk. I was glad it was safe with me.

I got home and placed the box on the living room floor and removed the lid. The mouse didn't run away until I stroked it. I wonder what stories it's been telling the rest of the mouse family all night?