Tejaswini Ravindra: A Mouse in the House

When Tejaswini Ravindra took a moment to look a little mouse in the eyes, she saw a lot more than just a pest.

There’s a little mouse that lives behind a cabinet in our kitchen. We have been trying to catch him for a very long time. It hasn’t worked. The simple reason is because he is smarter than most mouse traps.

Last night, I got hungry for a snack in the middle of the night, around 3 am, and I went to the kitchen for some comfort food. White bread and warm sweet milk. Both are no nos for someone who is intermittent fasting. But today was a very tough and somewhat disappointing day. So I gave myself some leeway.

I’m sitting there, quietly absorbed in my thoughts, and I feel a pair of eyes watching me.

I look up and there he is. Or maybe it’s a girl mouse. Quietly observing me from across the room. We stare at each other for about 3 seconds. I tilt my head and squint my eyes, and the mouse does the same. He is wondering why I am sitting here and who I am. In his kitchen. He had a confused expression. So much that I felt like I was in the movie “Ratatouille.”

And then he scurries away.

I have to say that looking at any creature in its eyes for 3 seconds makes you so aware of their existence and their life. He is no longer just a pest that must be killed but another living being that is intelligent and observant. He’s aware, and thinking, and strategizing. I still do not want him in my kitchen. We have been trying to catch him for over 6 months now. I can use more cruel methods like a sticky pad or a snapping trap but when I saw the little fellow, I almost felt happy I did not used any cruel methods.

Okay fellow, we will find a way to move you out of here. Till then, see you around.

With a Perspective, I’m Tejaswini Ravindra.

Tej Ravindra is a product manager working in tech who has since moved to a new house where she lives with her husband, son and a German Shepherd. The mouse continues to live in and enjoy her previous home.