Rodent Rider

Heading off to work on Monday morning, I noticed out of the corner of my eye a little black blob darting around on the floor on the passenger side of my car. The sunlight was dancing in through the window, so at first I thought it was just a trick of the light.

After driving about 4 miles, nearing the second stop sign on my morning commute, I turned and looked at the passenger seat.

Standing on the far edge of the seat was a plump gray mouse, with its beady eyes focused upon me. When our eyes met, the mouse decided it was time to dart to somewhere else, and away it went up over the front seat into the back seat - lightening fast!!.

I immediately had these thoughts of...."oh my, Mr. Mouse, please don't run over here on my side of the car and pounce upon me!" I kept track of the mouse (sort of) out of the corner of my eye as I continued on to complete my 17 mile journey.

When I got to college, I left the sun roof open, hoping that my little passenger would find its way out into the freedom of the woods. I also prayed that the book bag I was carrying into the college didn't have the mouse as a hidden passenger. Luckily it didn't, although I did have a few moments in my office where I thought I heard scampering.

I had a long long work day, and I really hoped my journey home would be mouse free. At 10 p.m. I got into the car to head home. My routine is to turn on the stereo ...loud rock music...and head on down the highway. There, driving in the dark, things seemed to be okay. I seemed to be alone in my car, so I sighed with relief. Then, about 10 miles into my journey, that little scamp came to life and started darting around in the car. With no light within the car except from the dash controls, it was hard to see what was happening. What seemed to take place, however, was that the mouse shot across the dash, and then jumped down into my side of the car. I felt it running over my feet and, well, I worked to keep my head. I didn't exactly want to explain to an officer: "Ummmm, why did I wreck my car? Well, a mouse ran up my leg!" I slowed down, began stomping my feet, and for a moment, in my startled state, knocked the headlight switch to off! Panic!! The lights snapped down in the GT, and I was cruising down the highway (a two-lane) with no lights. Luckily there was no traffic!

I got the lights back on, continued stamping my feet, and prayed that the mouse was anywhere but on my side of the car. The sounds suggested it was darting back and forth in the back seat, possibly up in the back window, possibly banging into the glass. I didn't stop to look. I had only a few miles to survive the mouse adventure....and I was so relieved when I got home safely.

Although my preference would have been to lock the cat up in the car (we have an excellent mouser), my husband convinced me to put the live mouse trap in the car instead. This morning the mouse trap was empty.
Dang!!!!!!!

My husband decided to leave the car door open a crack, hoping that this might help the mouse decide to move elsewhere. I'm not overly convinced. I'm a little worried that more mice friends might move in. Maybe I'll take the car for a little "test drive" before I attempt my commute again. The rock music sure seems to get that mouse a dancing!