I am working on a Christmas related tome for a magazine article. A representative photo suggested for the article by the photographer was of me wearing a Santa hat, and having a mouse sitting in the crook of my arm folded below my face. I had a Santa hat and we almost always have donated mice in the center awaiting new homes. On this particular day I searched high and low for a mouse. I asked the staff and learned that we had one. They collectively reported it was the mouse from a very bad, nasty, unpleasant place.

Well a mouse is a mouse so we set up the shot and at the signal, I grabbed afore mentioned mouse with the attitude by the tail and draped him across my shirtsleeve. Manic Mickey struggled, clawed, squeaked, and bit at my shirt. The photographer was dodging and weaving just clicking anywhere there was a pause. Suddenly the mouse stopped with face aimed directly at the lens. He was so frozen in place I let go of his tail. The photographer was snapping and was a happy man. He swore the mouse was posing. Then my smile took on a new bend. I felt a warm, sickening sensation on my arm. This mouse may as well have had his hand on the wall.

This sort of thing happens to me at least once each day. Alligators, turtles, frogs, guinea pigs, and others have chosen to relieve themselves at about the time I am holding them before a crowd of students. With those incidents it is a simple matter of wiping it off or letting it dry. But when a mouse does it, a clothing change becomes the most important thing in my life. This was not my favorite adventure.

Speaking of adventure, tune in to AT&T Broadband, channel A14, at 5:00 p.m. this Monday thru Friday for my cable show ‘Animals, Animals’ and see some new snakes, turtles, and lizards, oh my!

Contact Jim Dunlap, director of the Holifield Science Center

of Plano Independent School District, 3100 Shiloh Road, at 469-752-1194