* cute or not? *

Ok...I simply don't know how to actually blog this without drawing wrath or maybe cause some wrinkles in disgust or dismay.....but I shall try to wreathe these true series of events as carefully as I can without wronging anyone. Yes, yes...i am in a 'wr..' mode with dictionary at hand to inspire the way the story will be written.

Less than a week ago, I heard Guzz's dog tag hit the ground too often. Either he was lying down and his tag dragged on the floor with his wriggling or he was attacking something small causing his tag to hit the floor each time he bent down.

By the time I got to the door, the little poor rat was wrestled to death. I called out to Guzz to leave it while I opened the door and stood there looking first at it to make sure it didn't move otherwise that would have wreaked total chaos if it got up and ran across my feet!

Then I looked at Guzz, he looks at me and then at the rat and we kept shifting eye contact for another 45 seconds while I wrangled with my inner self on what to do next! I gave Guzz another wrathful glare and he stepped back. With a long pair of tongs and a plastic bag, I prodded at it to make sure.

I tell you, it was no easy task for me. I kept apologising to this little dead rat for its death and making sure the bag was opened wide enough with the top folded over halfway.....I gingerly picked it up and felt my heart drop as its lifeless body folded over. Quickly I slipped it into the opening and lifted the sides and tied it up with three knots!

Sigh...yes, I was afraid of this lifeless tiny fella and it made me sad that the cycle of life had to be such. I couldn't really wreak much wrath at Guzz cos he was doing something natural and he took it as his duty to do a good job thus I was obligated to reward him. In case you had not read my earlier ramblings, I did write about how I chastise him for letting the mickeys run freely in our place. ETC

Anyway, two days later...I was in my porch with Guzz and I saw a strange shape from the stand amongst the plants. There was a drabby plastic cover over the stand and I moved to the left to have a better look. That was when it moved!!

There it was, sitting on my empty pots and staring back at me with a 'errr....think I'm done' look on its face. One more step to the left and it disappeared behind the stand and ran off along the side wall to the drain and this was when Guzz realised and gave chase. It was also then I thought I heard some squeeks made not by one but more.

I mentioned this to my neighbour that night and he prepared the trap. I carefully placed it near the stand with some pot plants around it to prevent Guzz from moving it and went into the house.

As I set about arranging 300 photo prints into correct piles I heard Guzz's tag move the wrong way and I knew. Reaching for the keys and a torch, Guzz was already yelping in excitement. I went to call my neighbour and he came and took it away, surprised cos it was not more than 25 minutes since I took it from him!

While waiting for him to reset the trap, I shone my torch around the area hoping to see more when I realised the last inch of a tail was in view in the drain below me. I almost jumped out of my skin and cast the light in that direction. The tail disappeared and later a face peered at me.

Once again, the trap set, I went back to my pile but was interrupted within ten minutes. Guzz was more frantic this time to get at it and I had to tie him so I could get my neighbour again. He was surprised as well at how fast it took.

So once again I tried shining my torch around while waiting for him to bring back the trap. And so again, I went back to the waiting pile. Within half an hour I heard loud squeeks but nothing from Guzz. I looked outside my window and there was Guzz trying to get close but not making a sound while the little mickey was squeeking furiously in the trap. He must have figured by keeping quiet, he'd get more time to 'play' with it before it disappeared.

Again my neighbour came and we kinda laughed at how gullible these three little fellas were caught in such a short space of time! It was truly the case of the blind leading the blind. What sadden me was, none of them were anywhere as big as the one who stared at me from the stand. These three 'blind 'rats were babies actually. They must have a nest or a familiar area in my place to keep coming back. Also I think they were hungry.

We set the trap for the fourth time and this time I said I was not coming out to check. It'd have to wait till the morning which remained empty for the rest of the day. I was away the next morning and I had asked for help to clear my potted plants and also to check for the 'nest' - in case.

The maid found it was occupied and I noticed my neighbour was not in. So we placed the trap aside while we cleared and cleaned the place. Guzz went ballistics, I had to keep yelling at him to pipe down. I looked at it and it was another young one and my heart melted. I felt sorry for it and........quickly threw in a small slice of bread.

As we continued with our work, we snuck some glances to see if it was active. When it was quiet, we thought it had fainted or died but as we neared it, it scurried to the other end. It was a scorcher today and I realised the little fella must be feeling as hot as us. So I poured some water on one end of the bread it had partially eaten and it was touching to see it lapping at the sides where it flowed out from the side of the bread.

I told the maid, if my neighbour was not back in the hour, we'll let it go in some field. Not the right thing to do given the fact of what damage they are capable of when older but I was kinda getting soft on it.

Of course as the way things went, he was back in ten minutes and came over to collect his trap and the cute fella. Believe me, I would have liked to set it free but realistically...these mickeys have wrecked quite a number of my things and I am afraid they may pass some disease to Guzz while entering his food container someday.

What saddens me mostly is, including the one Guzz caught earlier and these four , they were all babies. Where are the parents? If they are so smart, why did they not keep their babies at bay? Questions. No answers. Well at least not from the horse's mouth or mickey, in this blog.

So, I can't wrap this with wit or wry and please don't be mad at me for being soft or silly. It was hard to write about it but I felt it had to be told. Life is such; when young, all is cute and adorable but some turn on you when they get older and that's where the circle of life's realities set in.

Sigh....goodbye my babies. Wish you were not on my watch though.