A Mischief In the Loft

The meeting started late, just like it usually did. There were so many community members that it was difficult to herd them all into the upstairs barn loft at the same time. They were a bristly bunch tonight because there was a new issue on the farm that had to be dealt with as quickly as possible. This time together might have been as important as any they’d ever had. A new cat, Rusty, had moved in five days ago.

Edwin, the biggest of the big rats, called the meeting to order when there was barely any more room to hold additional community members. The hospitality committee had laid out piles of fresh feed on the edges of the hay so everyone could gnaw down their teeth as the meeting proceeded.

The field mice sat in the back, near the wooden ladder’s top rung, with the barn mice keeping the peace between them and the rats. It wasn’t that the field mice and rats didn’t get along; it was just that they didn’t really understand each other. Seating arrangements didn’t matter this night though. Rusty had moved into the farmhouse just five short days ago, and she was wreaking havoc on the rodent population everywhere on the farm property.

Edwin thanked everyone for attending, especially the moms shuffling fourteen or more new pups to the meeting.

He stated the problem as clearly as he could as everyone quieted down. “Rusty seems like she’s here to stay, and we’re losing too many community members. We’re working on this, but we’re meeting tonight because we need your suggestions on how to proceed to keep our brethren protected while also not calling attention to us being organized.”

If the farm family realized the rodents had organized, they all knew it was the fastest way to get them exterminated from the barn and surrounding fields. They loved this barn, and they loved the farmland they lived on. Most of them were eighteen and nineteen generations established in the same homes where their great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents started the very family roots on display right there in the loft.

Rosa spoke up first. She was one of the most outspoken barn mice, and she suggested they take one to two weeks to study Rusty’s movements and habits. Once they had that information, they could figure out how to work around him. This way, they could keep more of the community safe.

“But we need to take out that damn cat before she takes us all out!” Tim squeaked loudly as soon as Rosa stopped speaking. He was barely able to hold his fear and angst. “We lost two—TWO—of our brethren just today.” He sniffled. “That beast put them on the back porch as if to prove her superiority over us.” Tim’s fur was fluffed, just like his insides, and he was shaking terribly.

Jaimi scooched over next to Tim, letting him know she was there for him, and calmly sat beside him.

This was such a scary time for everyone.

Nobody expected the farm family to get a cat. They didn’t need a cat, and it was the community of rodents that kept the wildlife running as smoothly as it did. But times on farms change, just like everywhere, and the farm family had brought a cat into the community’s life.

“Thank you, Rosa and Tim, I appreciate you sharing,” said Edwin.

“And I see you, Jaimi. Tim, please be sure to stay after and set up a meeting with Jaimi for tomorrow. If anyone else needs extra support as we figure out how to manage our new Rusty problem, Jaimi started a support group for our community just today. Get in touch with her, and she’ll find help for you.” He spoke louder, addressing the entire community. “And if you know someone who needs help who’s afraid to ask, please let Jaimi know.

“Are there any other suggestions or issues anyone wants to share so we can move together in a way that supports our entire community in relationship to Rusty?” A small shiver ran through the crowd as Edwin said the name so easily and clearly. Nobody else spoke up.

It seemed that everyone was feeling so many different feelings because of Rusty. It was a hard time for the community, but they were stronger together and Edwin was a great leader.

Edwin wriggled his nose, making his whiskers bob up and down. He stroked his left ear as he made his final remarks on the subject. “Okay then, Rosa, please put a team together to gather data on Rusty’s habits and movements so we can protect as many of our community as possible. Let me know in two days where you’re at with this project and what resources you might need.”

Then Edwin addressed the community in a very serious manner. His steely black eyes contrasted against his bold white fur. “I’m sorry this is happening to all of us. I really am. It’s a scary time for everyone, though it’s understood that our brethren living closer to the house have more to be concerned about. We’re doing our best to protect everyone, and we will continue to do so.

“Charles, my assistant”—Edwin motioned to Charles to wave his paw so everyone could see who he was—“Charles will take any suggestions or comments about how to contend with Rusty. You’ll find him in the back of April’s stall most of the time. Oh, for those who didn’t get the new farm members’ notice yet, April is the black stallion in the back right stall.

“Now, before we adjourn you all scurry back into your homes for the evening, P.D. has a few announcements. Thank you for coming tonight on such short notice. I really appreciate it.”

P.D. scuttled to the front and reminded everyone about the Fall Festival as they were all shuffling to leave. He said as loudly as he could that there would be the annual stuffed-cheek contest with crumb prizes along with a rat race, corn maze, and cockroach roast.

Everyone was too noisy to hear him as they cleared out. Having Rusty join the farm was almost too much for the community, and they weren’t able to hear the exciting events planned for the Fall Festival. Anyway, he was sending out flyers about the festival soon, so he just shrugged and gathered his clipboard.

“Dangit,” he muttered. During the meeting, someone had chewed halfway through his clipboard and notes. He was frustrated about it, but he knew teeth needed to be ground down and clipboards were one of the best ways to keep a rat’s teeth from growing too much.

The cleaning crew started sweeping the scat into piles as every buck, doe, and pup gathered their things and left the barn loft. They murmured and commiserated among themselves as they climbed down ladder rungs and wooden beams. Each family, and individual, was dealing with their own fears and dramas that Rusty had brought to them, but they all seemed to feel a whole lot better as they made their way back to their holes, haystacks, and stalls.

They knew that Edwin was aware of the problem and that the community was going to work together to protect as many of them as possible. It was all they could really ask for.