Unwanted Company

About a week or so ago, I was sitting in my living room minding my own business when I heard a strange noise coming from my kitchen. It sounded like something was rummaging around in my trashcan. The noise stopped as quickly as it started, so I just ignored it. I do, after all, have the tendency to be dramatic when it comes to being home alone – every little thing makes me jump.

Well, it just so happens that my imagination was not getting the best of me. I heard the same noise again last night, and this time it went on for longer. Just imagine taking a plastic bag and vigorously waving it around you – weird, I know. So, instead of hiding in my bedroom, I walked into the kitchen to have a look. I didn’t see anything scurrying across the floor, but I did pinpoint where the sound was coming from…the cabinet under my sink. More specifically, where I keep my trashcan. Something was rummaging around in my trash. Eww!

So many horrific images entered my mind…

[INSERT PICTURES OF BIG GROSS BUGS, RATS, MICE, ETC.]

I made a mental note to call the front office first thing in the morning and went to bed. And trust me when I say, it was VERY hard to fall asleep…very very hard.

When I got to work this morning, I ran to my coworker’s office and told her about my ordeal [enter drama queen]. I described the sounds coming from my kitchen in great detail, and then she said something that confirmed what I was thinking and fearing all along…

…a field mouse (or worse yet, mice) was causing all the ruckus. I seriously almost fainted. She said that it’s not all that uncommon to find these seemingly cute creatures hiding in people’s homes, especially where we live. All I could think was “why me?”

Right at 9:00, I called the front office and told them about the thing under my sink. I had an entire conversation with the manager about how field mice are prevalent in our area. In fact, I probably went into too much detail, which is why I was shocked to find this waiting for me when I got home…