A Mouse in the House

Midge walked around the bedroom looking under the bed and in the closet. She went to the living room looking all around her as she entered the room. She looked under the sofa and the chairs. squeezed behind the furniture checking each corner of the room.

"Hi Midge," said Snappy. "What are you doing? Did you lose something?"

"No," said Midge. "I think there is a mouse in here somewhere. I saw it run out of the bedroom."

"Oh," said Snappy. "Are you sure you weren't dreaming?"

"I don't think so," said Midge and she continued her search. "I think I was awake and saw it running across the floor."

"Do you see anything under there?" asked Snappy.

"No," said Midge. "Only dust bunnies."

"Dust bunnies?" asked Snappy. "How many bunnies do you see?"

"You have bunnies in the house?" asked Booker-T as he and Jake entered the room.

"When did your owner get bunnies?" asked Jake.

"Not real bunnies," laughed Midge. "They are dust bunnies."

"What are dust bunnies?" asked Snappy.

"They are dust balls and our owner calls them dust bunnies," said Midge. "They really are just dust that are under the furniture. She cleans them out on the weekends and then they come back later."

"Why were you looking for dust bunnies?" asked Jake.

"I wasn't looking for dust bunnies," said Midge.

"Did you loose something?" asked Booker-T.

"She lost a mouse," said Snappy.

"What mouse?" asked Jake. "Where did you get a mouse?"

"I didn't get a mouse," said Midge. "I was looking for a mouse."

"Why?" asked Booker-T.

"I think I saw one run across the bedroom floor this morning," said Midge. "I was looking for it."

"Were you dreaming?" asked Jake.

"I don't think so," said Midge. "He ran really fast past me."

"Mr mouse!" called Booker-T. "Come out come out wherever you are."

"Do you think that will help?" asked Snappy. "Isn't a mouse afraid of a cat?"

"He might be afraid of cats and dogs," said Snappy.

"Hello Mr. Mouse," called Booker-T. "If you are here, come out and talk to us. We won't hurt you."

"Maybe he isn't in here," said Jake. "Did you look in the kitchen?:

"No, not yet," said Midge. "I was just looking in here when I found the dust bunnies."

"Are the dust bunnies big enough for the mouse to hide behind them?" asked Booker-T.
"No," laughed Midge. "They are small little bunnies. Lets go look in the kitchen."

"Hello mousy mousy," called Midge as she walked around the kitchen looking in every corner and trying to look under the refrigerator and stove. "You can come out now. We aren't going to hurt you."

"Mr. mouse!" called Jake. "Where are you?"

"Come on our mousy," called Booker-T. "We want to meet you."

"Maybe you didn't see a mouse, Midge," said Jake. "I don't see one."

"Maybe he went out the doggie door," suggested Booker-T.

"I don't think I was dreaming," said Midge.

"Are you sure?" asked Jake. "You have dreamed of things before and thought they were real."

"Maybe I was dreaming," said Midge. "He seemed so real."

"Sometimes dreams do seem real," said Booker-T.

"I know," sighed Midge as she sat down in the middle of the kitchen floor.

"Are you okay?" asked Jake.

"Yes," said Midge.

"Do you want to go to the park or the little zoo?" asked Booker-T.

"Okay," said Midge. "Lets go."

"Why are you sad?" asked a squeeky little voice.

Midge quickly stood up and looked around. Standing next to the stove was a little gray mouse.

"Did you say that?" asked Midge.

"I did," said the mouse. "You sound sad because you didn't find me."

"Why were you hiding?" asked Jake.

"I was scared," said the mouse. "I'm very little and I didn't want to get hurt."

"We won't hurt you," said Midge. "I'm Midge and these are my friends, Jake and Booker-T."

"Do you want to be our friend?" asked Booker-T.

"You want me to be your friend?" asked the mouse.

"Yes," smiled Midge. "We like having lot of friends. Little ones and big ones."

"What is your name?" asked Jake.

"I'm Mickey," said the mouse.

Midge started laughing.

"Why are you laughing?" asked Mickey.

"Mickey mouse is a cartoon," said Midge. "You have the same name as the cartoon."

"I know," said Mickey. "I saw the cartoon on the TV one day and I like his name."

"What name did you mommy give you?" asked Booker-T.

"It's a funny name," said Mickey. "I like Mickey better."

"We won't laugh," said Midge. "You can tell us."

"My other name is Buford," said Mickey.

Booker-T sat there trying to keep from laughing as he stared at the ceiling.

"You think it's funny too," said Mickey.

"Oh no," said Booker-T. "It's a good name. We will call you Mickey."

"Okay," smiled Mickey. "Can I stay in this house?"

"You can stay and be my friend, but you can't let my owner see you," said Midge. "She don't want any mouse in the house."

"Why?" asked Mickey.

"It's a human thing," said Midge.

"Okay," said Mickey. "Thanks for being my friend."