INTERLOPERS

Strange occurrences in the house lately.

I had no doubt that the disturbances were caused by mice. I've been plagued by them ever since I first moved here. 

I was used to them getting into everything I own - - tearing things apart and causing all kinds of destruction.

Lately - and strangely - they seemed to be getting more aggressive and alarmingly annoying. When I was in bed late at night, I'd hear loud banging and clanging in the kitchen.

Ghosts?

Or a new colossal species of mice?

Too damn tired to crawl out of bed to investigate.

One night, at the kitchen table while messing with my laptop, I saw something scurry by with the corner of my eye. Holy Crapola - - it was bigger than a mouse. A rat???

This tale is getting too long. I'll cut to the chase.

The next day in broad daylight I finally faced the interloper. A 'possum!!! A small, very young 'possum. How the hell did he get inside? I stalked him with a broom - but it took over an hour of hide and seek.

Finally, I cornered the culprit and chased him out the back door.

Relief!

A few hours later - while I was relaxing and feeling smug - I ventured into the kitchen and came face to face with another young 'possum. Looked like the first one's twin.

I chased him with a broom. Somehow, he managed to hold onto the broom and wouldn't let go. I carried him out the back door and he reluctantly disengaged himself and wandered away.

Wanna hear about the third young 'possum? He arrived two days later. He was much more wild and aggressive than the first two. Climbed up on the kitchen counter and got into the sink!!! Holy sheeet!!!

This wild bandito gnawed a hole into a bag of trash in the kitchen and crawled inside! Thinking quickly, I grabbed the trash bag and put it on the back porch. Then I kept prodding the bag with a large stick until he emerged and ran away.

I searched every possible place in the house where the little brats might have gotten in. I sealed up several probable entrances.

My nerves are completely shattered. How the hell many are there? Do they keep coming back in over and over?

They do seem to come in from the kitchen. I live in a small place, but I do have three  bedrooms. I now keep those doors closed.

I am exhausted. As if I didn't have enough problems.

Just for your intense enjoyment, I managed to snap a quick photo of one culprit ripping pieces of garbage from one of the trash bags that he broke into.

While I'm on the subject of 'possums, several years ago a large 'possum got into the house through the clothes dryer vent.

My three (deceased) cats were alive back then and they cornered the 'possum. I quickly got a trap cage, put a bowl of food in it, and set the cage by the cornered intruder.

He eventually got in the cage. I took the cage outside, far from the house, and let him go.

Well, that's all of my 'possum tales (tails) for now. Never a dull moment in the wilderness.

BTW

I want to thank the (few) courageous people who commented on my previous post "Ashes". I'm assuming the majority of readers were unnerved by the subjects of family violence and homo-erotic romance.

If nothing else, my writing was damn good.

Jon, and the 'possums