The Story of Houdini

Most of you know that I have pets. LOTS of pets. Mostly classroom pets, but I also have a few at home. I read somewhere that children who live with pets develop a greater sense of empathy toward all life forms, so we have classroom pets. Many of you also know that I am going to teach in Scotland for the first semester of the next school year, so I needed to find homes for my pets since I did not want to burden the incoming teacher with my menagerie. (She is keeping my housecat, Kato.) Well, Dawn took Charlie, the cockatiel. Kelly took Bunnicula, the dwarf rabbit. Mom took the aquarium and my sister will take Wilbur, the gerbil, and the Madagascar cockroaches-- although she will only allow them to stay in her garage. Which is fine... I happen to treasure my cockroaches and find them beautiful, but many other people find them repulsive.... different strokes and all that. Mikey took the Hermit Crab, Patrick.

The one animal I could not get a home for was Houdini, my mouse. Houdini was so named because of his extraordinary escape artist abilities. No one wants to take care of a mouse that could disappear into their home! The end of the year was winding down and I was still in a quandary about what to do with Houdini so I spent a lot of time talking with him (yes, I talk to my pets) and I noticed that his coat wasn't as glossy as it normally is. I also noticed that he was rubbing a bare spot on his shoulders from trying to lift off the locked cage lid. Finally, on our teacher work day I decided that I would release him into the open field next to our school. Now, I know that animals who are released have a shortened life span but it appeared that captivity wasn't benefiting him either.  At any rate, I wrestled Houdini into his exercise ball (he doesn't like me to touch him) and I walked out across the playground, down the hill to the fence which protects the long, grassy, open field. A perfect habitat for a mouse. I bid Houdini adieu and released him in to the field. I quickly turned and began to walk away back toward the school. I had just stepped onto the playground when I heard two birds begin to shriek. I turned and saw them dive-bombing Houdini who was struggling through the grass, hopping toward me.  I quickly ran back to him and put my hand out. He hopped onto my hand and looked at me with his little nose twitching. Now I was dumbfounded. This mouse would NEVER let me touch him. It was always a struggle to round him up and wrangle him into his ball just so I could clean his cage! And here he was, willingly jumping into my hand and sitting there quietly. I can't even begin to tell you how guilty I felt! I took him back into the classroom, put him back into his cage and decided that I could find someone to take him before I had to leave in August. 

As I moved around the classroom, Houdini followed my every step. His eyes never left me as he ran back and forth in his cage keeping me in view. I loaded up the car with all the pets and plants that I needed to deliver to all the respective keepers. Houdini was going home with me until I could decide what to do. We finished and drove home. I put Houdini on the covered patio along with Wilbur and the cockroaches until I could take them out to Bastrop. My grandkids were thrilled. They love the pets and were busy talking to them and watching them while I went into the house to begin dinner. Soon Mikey came in and asked me why Houdini was sleeping. My heart sank as I rushed outside. Yes, Houdini had died. I must have scared him to death by releasing him. 

I am the worst pet owner in the world.