“AutoMouseMultiplication”
by Rea C. Whicker
(A true story, from our Cove Fort mission days!)
This is how it works, at least from the viewpoint of Molly Mouse: True story.
First, you find a very nice, clean automobile. One that has an owner who cleans EVEN THE ENGINE when he washes his car. This owner has just recently done that very thing, and the engine is almost clean enough to use for a picnic table! Actually, it IS clean enough -- just has a few too many bumps to be practical.
Secondly, you search for a space approximately 6 inches long and 3 or 4 inches wide, that is completely safe, warm but not too hot, tight but still has enough airflow for your new little family to survive. Aha! There it is -- a small, comfortable compartment just under the air flow ducts that allow air into the people part of this automobile. The weather is still cool a lot of the time, so there surely won't be TOO much cold air flowing there for TOO many minutes at a time. PERFECT!
Now, we have the building lot. Let's see, what materials shall we use for the house itself? We'll need at least 200 small sticks, from one to three inches in length, to give it stability. Whew! That took awhile. We need to hurry, because the mommy is getting close to her due date! Oh, look, there's something soft on the underneath side of the top of this big engine's roof! I wonder if I could get my teeth into that? Hmmmmmmmm...
Voila! It is just right! We'll only need to tear the covering off of about 24 square inches or so, and dig into the soft stuff underneath! Wow, it is WARM and SOFT and CUDDLY! Easier to get down through the vent holes than the sticks were....
Weaving, pulling, pushing, weaving................there, finished! Now, I need to rest before this little one comes.
What's that noise? OH, NO, the engine is starting! I wonder if we really will be safe? This is really scary!
The wind is blowing through here, but it isn't cold yet, thank goodness. Hey, watch those bumps! I'm a bit big to be bounced around right now!
Wow, that was a short ride. I think they got out. Maybe I can have some peace now.
(6 1/2 hours later) Ah-h-h-h, that was a great nap! It's a good thing, I think the little ones are coming!
The engine again??? Why can't they leave a girl alone in her hour of travail? OK, hang on, maybe this will be a short ride like the last one.
It was! These people sure do move a little distance at a time! You'd think they'd just let me be and WALK if it's going to be that short distance!
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Oh, sweetie, you are such a little doll! Just look at that beautiful grey hair and cute tail! I'll be glad when you open your eyes and look at me! I can't wait 'til your Grandma sees you! We'll just stay in our cozy little home until you get a little stronger and I feel a bit more rested.
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My, you are hungry so much of the time! You eat every few minutes it seems. You gonna be a beeg stronga boy? I bet you are!
Oh, oh........what's that funny noise. It's not the engine. Oh, my, they opened the roof! The sun is SO bright it hurts my eyes. Hey, put it back down! There's a baby eating here and I want him to go to sleep so I can catch a nap. What are you doin'?
He's pulling some big long thing away from the glass above me. Then he drops it back onto the glass! SO NOISY. I can see him now. He sure is funny looking. He has a little bit of hair, but it isn't pretty grey like mine and the baby's. He has something shiny on top of his head......oh, maybe that's the sunshine reflecting! Hope he doesn't see me down here. I'm keeping an eye on him.
Ugh! I think he's looking at me! I'll hold really still.....maybe he won't see me here.
Ohmigosh! He's taking my roof with the holes in it away..........what will I do? Hey, babe, wake up, we may have to make a quick getaway here.......Mortimer, did you hear me? We may need to RUN! ARE YOU DEAF, KID?
Well, I looked straight into his eyes, and now he's reaching down in here, so here we go! Hang on, kiddo! We gotta find our way outa here!
*************
The next chapter shall never be known by human beans. The little mommy, with her babe hanging on to his feeding tube for all he was worth, found their way out of the car and off across the field, with Grandpa looking on in complete surprise.
Well, the above story is the prologue of my visit to the Dr., which is explained in the rest of this letter. We very well could have been exposed to the Hanta Virus through that little experience, so we are checking it out. I've been pretty much in pain for a couple of weeks, with the exception of one or two days. The little mouse nest was right in the air conditioning vent, so when we turned the AC on, we got the airborne dust from the urine and feces of the mice right in our faces.