Though perhaps premature since we just started out (I'm told it happens to everyone on occasion), I experienced yesterday what will likely be the climax of my New Mexico vacation. After playing a video game with Carter, I came upstairs to hear that Katie saw a mouse run across the kitchen countertop as she was preparing dinner. The mouse reportedly stopped behind a toaster oven sitting kitty corner on the countertop. After Justin called the owner of the house to tell him he had to take care of this rodent issue immediately, we decided we had to take action. We could not allow the mouse to remain in the kitchen. After discussing various ideas for trapping the mouse, I came up with a brilliant idea. It involved using the wand of the vacuum to grab hold of the mouse and hold him in place, move it over a trash can, and cut the power to the vacuum, cleanly dropping it into the trash can. Since I could see the mouse over the top of the toaster oven, curled up in the corner scared s@%#less (the droppings throughout the house confirmed this), we decided I would trap it back there before removing the toaster oven, to avoid making it run. (Stealth and surprise are always keys to success in operations such as this.)
So I obtained visual confirmation that the rodent was still there, and turned on the vacuum. With Justin taking a flanking position with a broom and the trash can, I inserted the wand behind the toaster oven into the corner. We promptly heard a loud thump as the vacuum wand found purchase (you know - the sound the vacuum makes when you place the wand on your skin). At that point things started going bad for the mouse. As it struggled violently against the vacuum wand's sucky grip, we heard another succession of unexpected thumps and I felt the mouse being pulled through the tubing into the heart of the vacuum. At that point I jumped and let out a Warrior's cry of victory (Michelle later described it more as a woman's squeal of fright and surprise, but I think that's just revisionist history used to advance a personal agenda - Justin will back me up on this). Maybe you had to be there, but it was HILARIOUS!! That mouse was no match for The Rodent Busters.
4 comments:
Well DUH!!!! I could have told you that would happen! Don't you know those suckers can squeeze into the old school flip up door garages through the little space between the ground and the door? If it can fit through THAT it will certainly fit through the whole in the vacuum hose!
I expect a complete reenactment, including the "Warrior's cry of victory" when next we meet.
Of course the bigger question is who got to empty out the vacuum? Eh, Warrior boy?
I just read that story to everyone at work and it was enjoyed by all. Seriously so funny. Mostly gross, but really funny. I can just imagine you two carrying out that elaborate plan.
The tiny part that was left out of this story was the simultaneous dance done by both Rick and Justin as they were emitting the "Warrior's cry of victory" - it looked a lot like the Potty dance" kids (and adults) do when they have almost waited too long to heed natures call. Seriously FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!
That goes down as a classic Griswald family moment. The poor mouse had no idea what his future would bring as he hid behind the toaster.
We must have left the vacuum running for a few minutes while we tried to regain our composure. After we pulled it together we shut it off only to bust up again when we heard the tiny little squeaks coming from the heart of the vacuum.
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