You may have noticed in the last entry I nonchalantly slipped in that we were buying a mouse trap. Be not deceived! This was a hard fought purchase! Darren wanted to get it, and I, of course, did NOT.
Back at Lake Quillilup I had thought I had heard a mouse in the caravan. Yes, well this one was not getting a name from me, was not going to be adored by me, and certainly not filmed by me, only to be eaten by some predator, or murdered by Darren. No-Ho this time I was gonna find it, and help it escape.
While we were still there I started to look for it, and in the storage area under one of the seats I saw it scuttle away down a hole towards the other seat.
Yes, we had a mouse.
Darren wanted to get a mouse trap, but fortunately, no mouse trap shops being near the lake, he was unable to get one until we reached Bremer Bay. I hoped against hope the little chap had got away before we took it on a 300 km journey (what would it’s family think?)
Unfortunately we had an inkling that he was still with us when we arrived at Miller’s Point. I talked Darren into postponing the placement of the trap (KILLING DEVICE), for a couple of days to see if I could get him out. I swept everywhere in the storage areas under the seating to get rid of the few mouse droppings, so I could work out if we did still have him or not.
But then DARREN WENT FISHING… … …
When he returned I went to meet him, and he was clutching his shoulder. Thinking he had hurt himself I anxiously asked if he was Ok, and he explained that while he was out there he had got a little chilled so had put on his hoodie that he had dumped in the bottom of the bot from the caravan. Later he had felt something around his neck, but just swept it away with his hand thinking it was an insect. It happened again. Darren kept fishing…
Suddenly Darren felt something SCUTTLE down his ribs towards his waist. With far more presence of mind than I could have mustered, he grabbed what was moving. He felt something small, soft, but firm… a mouse?
Using only one hand he immediately pulled in his rods, started the engine and headed for home.
Hearing this, I grabbed the camera, and he then revealed this intrepid mouse which was now around his collar area.
Again, so CUTE, even Darren was pleased he had not used the mouse trap on it. The mouse was very self possessed, and looked back at us, as if it was the most normal thing in the world to take a trip in a caravan, then go fishing with his host. He was quite happy climbing around Darren’s jumper.
Darren rushed off to show our French camping neighbours. I hoped that she was not going to be terrified of mice and set upon it with a hammer. After Darren had shown our little friend around, and after I had dubbed him ‘Flaubert the Fishing Mouse’, we let him go into the bushes, with many cries of good wishes and prayers that he may not be eaten, but find a comfy hole to survive in.
There just has to be a children’s book in that.
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