Creepy, Crawling Creatures & Critters

This next story is not for the faint of heart! Okay, not really. I hate animals!!! I have learned to tolerate some dogs and cats in the past, but I really don't like wild animals. Our neighborhood is full of raccoons and skunks. Disgusting, I know. The bad thing is they aren't even scared of humans and they chase after you instead of you chasing after them. I didn't think things could get any worse on the animal front, but somehow they did.

One night, while I was happily lounging on my couch watching TV, I happened to see an animal run into my roommate's bedroom (right next to mine.) At first, I wasn't sure that I really saw what I thought I saw. But to be on the safe side, I hurried and shut my bedroom door and bathroom door. (I was also nice enough to shut the other girl's bedrooms doors as well.) I really do count my blessings that the little critter didn't run into my room!

I call my mom because I have to talk to someone and I am not equipped to take care of a rodent problem. My biggest fear at this point is where there is one, there is bound to be more. I can't believe that I have to take care of this problem now. I go to the store to buy mouse traps, but as I have never had to deal with this I am not sure what to buy. I buy the kit that has it all, sticky pads, snap traps, and even a live catch trap (which by the way, who would ever want to use that?)

I set out the traps and the next morning I awake to see a mouse still alive half attached to a stick trap. EEEWWWW!!!! What do I do now? I try and ignore it but I am afraid the mouse will chew off its legs and it is whining and so I know I have to take care of it. Once again, I call my mom. Of course she just laughs at me. She suggests just covering it with a large bowl so it won't get a way and to wait for another roommate to help me. There is absolutely no way I am covering it with a bowl, because then it will have mouse germs and I will never be able to use the bowl again. I finally get the dust pan and sweep it up onto it. The mouse is crying and squirming the whole time. I am trying not to squeal as well. I finally talk to the mouse to see if it will calm down. I bravely walk down the stairs and across the street and then fling it into the dumpster. Thankfully, we haven't seen any more mice!

And to think that I wanted a gerbil when I was in the third grade.

I decided to spare everyone and not post pictures of this traumatic event for both the mouse and myself.