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| "Chloe's Mouse Express" service, a one-way ticket to the foothills for mice! |
The thirteenth mouse was the charm, I suppose. After months of peace following the capture of the twelfth - we thought “Chloe's Mouse Express” service had been permanently shut down. It's a complimentary service that provides a humane, but one-way ticket, out of our backyard, for relocation to the open foothills of the ‘old west’. See "No Mouse in Chloe's House!"
We were wrong, another mouse showed up inside the bucket. Our trusty 5-gallon container couldn't be outsmarted. The setup was the same: a tilting ramp leading to a tempting peanut butter smear, poised over a five-gallon abyss.
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| The 5-gallon bucket trap |
For more than two wintery months nothing. We began to doubt. Then, this morning, the tell-tale clatter-rumble-thump! There, in the bottom of the bucket, was the thirteenth passenger. Smaller than number twelve, with whiskered cheeks and beady eyes that looked more surprised than accusatory. It stared up at me. I stared down.
“Welcome,” I muttered. “The Express is running a bit behind schedule!”
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| "Chloe's Mouse Express" is back up and operating! |
The operation resumed with practiced ease. The bucket was covered, driven five miles into the foothills, and gently tipped. The mouse shot out, gave a final, indignant flick of its tail, and vanished into the tall grass.
Walking back to the car, I couldn’t help a weary smile. The line might be dormant, but the track is never truly gone. Chloe's Mouse Express, against all my hopes for retirement, is back in service. All aboard!
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