"Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
...
>A recent alarming phenomenon has been the appearance
> of rodent droppings next to my bed. I found two
> the day before yesterday, and another one yesterday
> the latter of which could not possibly have been there
> on the previous day. This is alarming because it
> indicates a repeat visit.
>
> This is not the first time I've been invaded by rodents.
> Mice, rats, and squirrels have all been successfully
> killed here by cats or traps. The fecal material was
> unusual in that I did not recognize it. It was
> definitely not rat, mouse, rabbit, or squirrel.
> There was a gopher in here once, and it bit me, but
> that was when I had cats. It was a birthday present
> dragged in by the cats. I don't have cats anymore
> because of the coyotes.
>
> This fecal material was long and thin, brown-black
> in color. Likely a rodent, but not a rodent I've
> previously encountered. It wasn't until today that
> the mystery was solved.
>
> I don't usually cook up a batch of wild rice, but
> on a whim I bought a bag a few weeks ago. I spilled
> a little on the kitchen floor and tracked it into
> the bedroom. I didn't recognize it as wild rice
> because I probably haven't bought wild rice in
> 20 years, plus I'm rather prone to leap to the
> worst-case interpretation of the evidence. Repeat
> night visitation by unfamiliar rodents, for example.

I guess this indicates that you wouldn't have passed the health inspection
mentioned in Wednesday's NYTimes, doesn't it? (smile)....
-ginny