BESS REDEEMS HERSELF

A November evening in Clarkston

Years ago, I was visiting my sister Joni in her country home. I don’t remember what we were doing, but she opened a linen drawer in her kitchen to get something. Uttering an exclamation of disgust, she said “Smell that? That’s mouse smell. The mice have been in this drawer.”

Joni is now of an age when she prefers to leave the driving to someone else. When she has errands here in the “big city,” she rides to town with her daughter, who works at a furniture store, and then I take over and chauffeur her to her errands. Such was the case yesterday (Wednesday, 11-7). We had extra time in the afternoon, so I brought her home with me for a while.

Joni was sitting at the kitchen table while Mike bundled our trash. I went to the cupboard under the kitchen sink to get a fresh trash sack, and as I opened the door, I immediately discerned movement coupled with squeaking. I shrieked and instinctively slammed the cupboard door, which fortunately trapped the mouse between the door and the center post. (Couldn’t have done that if I’d tried.) Mike called to Bess who rushed to my aid, sniffing out the culprit. She snatched the critter and headed outside. And that’s what you want – to get the mouse out of the house.

Discussion ensued. At this time of year, as temperatures drop, the mice come in, and Joni explained that water pipes are favorite points of egress. She had wrapped steel wool around hers, she said. I’m not sure that works in the modular home set-up because the pipes are behind a partial partition, but I’ll look into it. Meanwhile, I’ll continue with the traps and expand to the bathroom sinks.

When Bess re-entered the house, she received high praise from “Aunt” Joni, a knowledgeable dog-lover. “GOOD DOG,” she said. “Very GOOD to take the mouse outside. You are a GOOD DOG.” KW