My not to friendly friend

Eh, so want to hear something sort of funny. So not last night but the night before I was sitting in my hut and reading when lo and behold out comes my mouse friend. This was the first night after being back from Mozam. Well I was saying hello to my friend when all of a sudden out pops another one! I was immensely happy to now have TWO friends..when I hear a scratching and out comes another….and then another..and then another. I quickly got a little apprehensive thinking that they had thought I was gone since my hut had been empty for the past three days and so decided to move in with all their extended family. I’m not sure how many were actually there…I, at one point counted five but could hear more- just not see them. They proceeded to have what I would call the equivalent of a mouse party. Two were chasing each other around the bed frame of the twin bed opposite me, one was investigating my shoes and another crawling around in my pants on the floor, one was getting into my box of Jungle Oats on the counter, and a few more wandering around on some beams under the ceiling.

Don’t get me wrong- I really do like mice..bring em on I say, but I was starting to get the feeling I was going to be sorely regrettable if I didn’t put an end to their party. I didn’t want to actually throw anything at them to hurt them, so I picked up my used tea bag from the bedstand and threw it in the general direction of the dude getting into my oatmeal- as I thought this was perhaps the most valuable thing to save. I missed the mouse by a long shot but it got the deed done. They all stopped their playing and immediately scrambled up the walls and disappeared outside. I was very happy and thought that was the end of it. I finished reading and went to bed. HAH- little did I know that these guys wouldn’t take lightly to me ending their party.

I awake to a slight stinging sensation on my pinky finger followed by quick scampering across my pillow. Okay ‘ouch’ I thought, rubbed my finger and tried to fall back asleep. I was in that state of being conscious yet unconscious when I felt a very sharp sting on the end of my elbow. I bolted upright and was immediately awake in the way that only comes from receiving an unexpected dose of pain. “Ahhhh, damn!” I remember saying out loud and rubbing my elbow quite roughly trying to ease the pain. One of those ‘friendly’ mice had bit me- right on the end of my elbow!! My elbow had been bent because I was lying on my side and had my hand tucked under my pillow which I suppose stuck my exposed elbow out for one of them to munch down on. When your elbow is bent there really isn’t much skin for teeth to grab, which in turn makes it hurt even more for some reason.

So needless to say, I tried to go back to sleep but my mind was wide awake and on constant edge listening for any scrambling noises. I was aware of every creak and crack and prepared to shoo away any thing that tried to take another bite out of me. I didn’t really fall back asleep. The next morning I had a look at my elbow and saw three red marks. They were the exact shape and size of a mouse bite. Two marks on top and one longer one on the bottom. I’m not sure what got my pinky but I have three red bumps in the shape of a triangle. Moral of the story is, if you come to Africa make sure you are nice to the rodents