Saturday, January 13, 2007

A Fatal Mousetake




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Here are photos of some of the people in our group. They are so photogenic it's ridiculous, I'm sure they are sick and tired of having me shoving my lens in their faces just so they can have a square meal. Maybe they think they are going to be famous.

Annoyingly, I didn't bring my camera lead into Vellore today, so, I haven't got any pictures of the big day itself. I shall post them later.

Just in case I was getting too big for my boots, feeling like I am dispensing munificence, doing wonderful things or generally being a Good Egg, an event occurred which brought me back down to earth. Justine, my Australian next door neighbour, found a tiny brown mouse in her room running around her bedroom. It was really cute, but not wanted. So, fancying myself as a bit of a Gerald Durrell, after quite an energetic chase during which the mouse no doubt had severe palpitations (I was a little breathless myself), I caught the mouse under a cup and went to the door to set it free. I flung it a few feet out onto the courtyard declaring "Run free, little mouse, run to freedom". It took a few happy, scurrying steps across the darkened gravel, its tail raised perkily. I felt proud that I had done a Good Thing. Suddenly, out of nowhere, an owl swooped rapidly and silently down and terminated its progress. Oh the raw cruelty of nature. I'm sure I heard, as the owl flew up into the trees a little squeaky voice yelling out "You bastaaaaaaaaaard".

I felt my karma slipping instantly. I think I'm going to come back as a mouse.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those glasses are superb!

Peter said...

We routinely catch mice in humane traps (should that really be mousane traps?) and then release them up at the barn so that the barn owl can have lunch. We have learned that mice can find their way back into a nice warm house within an hour or so if you just put them over the wall!

Anonymous said...

Hey there
Couldnt agree more Mike. Superb and a little unexpected in the context!
Amazing stuff Bell. Keep writing. You are taking me to a world I have no first hand experience of.
Seems like you are very content inyourself being out there too which is great as I imagine there is always the risk of feeling overwhealmed and alone.
Hope you have lots of good company. Keep meaning to do a proper email and or letter. Latest excuse is got the Flu and I really mean I do think it was influenza. Everyone in Shetland has it and I think it is going down South. Hope it doesnt reach India.
xx Heather