It happened just last night. One of those moments when, in years past I'd have thought, I'll be writing about this in letters for the next month but now I simply think Blog Fodder! (Okay, first I thought about getting the Flip Cam and recording it for You Tube, but two things stopped me - it would have been too long and, as it turned out, anti-climactic and the fact that people would have thought it was staged).
It was late... lateish. I was in my jammies - actually I was cold so I was in a big pink onsie with built in bunny slippers. Through a series of events involving a cat who can open the backdoor but like most children, can't be bothered to close it properly, a mouse got in the house.It couldn't have been inside long, the dogs went on high alert immediately. I made son peer under the couch as I tipped it back, a teeny gray streak makes its way to the TV cabinet. Hubby, who is on the other couch, doesn't even lift his head but is certain son and I have over active imaginations. Hilarity ensues - if by hilarity you mean the insanity of people not wanting to hurt the little fellow (beginning with my son pointing out that my allowing him to watch cartoons gave him an unrealistically anamorphic view of mice as clever, cat outwitting good guys). Here's the plan: we will line up the furniture in our living room to direct the mouse back out the door. Son will shine big ol' light behind TV cabinet. Husband will poke behind cabinet with a tennis racket. I will shepherd mouse out with broom if need be. Need did not be. Mouse scurried out while we weren't looking (I know because it scared the neglectful door opening car out on the deck - yes, that's how I found out, my cat was cowered down unable to move because there was a mouse in the doorframe.
A writer chasing a muse is a lot like a family deciding they can direct and accidental intruder mouse. The more plans they put in place to make things happen the way they want, the more chance that the muse/mouse will slip away while you're busy doing other things. This is good for the mouse. Less so for the writer and muse.
Write today. Forget about getting everything lined up just right.
