The lights were mostly out and I was writing at my computer when I saw the little shadow move. It is amazing how one’s reflexes work and at first I was a little scared before even knowing why. I reasoned I’m 500 times bigger than this mouse. But that’s biology. I have traps, live traps and they excite me. I set them up by putting a little peanut butter on top of a cracker, placing it at the end of the trap. It’s a plastic rectangle on a 60˚ angle and if the mouse goes for the food his weight makes the entry close which disallows an exit. It’s simple and perfect. I caught this mouse. Then applied forced immigration, marching three blocks away, opening the trap door in a back lane, where he scurried out, then headed home certain we were too many houses away for this mouse to specifically find my address again. I saw another the next night and did the same trick but this time used bread left over from dinner. In the morning none of the traps had gone off which surprised me since I definitely saw a second mouse. I opened one of the traps and to my surprise the bread was gone. I couldn’t believe it. Same thing in the others. Little fucker got the bread without getting caught. The third night I rejigged it by placing a loonie on top to make a smaller change in weight engage the door and was right, caught him, took him for a walk far away. It’s been a week now and nothing. I went through the same thing with my left hand since last year. I noticed it not doing what I wanted, I had an emotional response and then reasoned I’m 500 times bigger than this. I set a trap which took the form of simple pentatonic runs over and over, week after week, just G and F and I caught it. It’ll still freaks me out between what I might wish vs. what is, but I have the genes of a hunter. Persistent and patient.