{farewell, despereaux.}

today i found a baby mouse in the kitchen at school. he was trapped in a tub and looking very tired. i showed him to a teacher, who screamed and ran from the room. i had no idea people were so afraid of mice in real life. it always seemed like a cartoon thing.

i named him Despereaux, after the mouse of Tales, and after introducing him to many children, i set out to release him. for some time we walked around the school, then the block. i wasn't quite sure where to free him, what with so many houses around. finally i got tired of walking up and down streets with a huge, green tub filled with a mouse. and at a pleasant enough looking street corner, in front of a house that looked like it might already have mice, i turned him loose.

he slid from the bottom of the box slowly, and onto the sidewalk. where he sat, lazy eyed for some time. "be free!" i said, to which he waddled a bit and then laid down. after staring at him for a while, i helped him back into the tub with my shoe, and took him down to the church basement for a rest.

i gave him a handful of mulch chips, a blanket, half a string cheese, a baby carrot, and a quarter piece of pita bread. he didn't move for a while, just crouched facing the corner. eventually he made his way to the pita, placed a paw on the edge and started nibbling slowly. it was awesome to watch his little mouth.

Despereaux slept for a long time. it seemed he needed to rejuvenate after what i assume was a long stay in the green tub, and all the children fawning over him. when the end of the day arrived, i took him outside. he was running all over the box, obviously feeling revived. behind the church, in a nice green area, i tipped the box again. little Despereaux quickly made his way under the closest tiny shrub. "goodbye, Despereaux." i said, waving softly. he turned, as if to acknowledge my farewell, and scurried on into the unknown...