Page 22 - My FlipBook

around frantically. Tania and Sonali, who were particularly
fond of animals, felt very sorry for it. Nisha hugged Tania
and said "Thanks so much all of you. I am sorry, I couldn't
behave like a proper grown up, but you all did very well."

Tania still looked sad. "Aunty what do we do with the mouse
now? You promise not to hurt it, right?"

"But if the cat had caught it, it would have died right? And
you did not object then." Rajiv asked.

"I know." Tania said. "I just realized that. At the time, I
was so focussed on catching the mouse to help aunty Nisha,
Tanisha and Nikhil that I did not really think it through. I
am glad that the cat could not catch the mouse."

"Me too. Yes aunty. Please don't hurt the mouse." Sonali
pleaded.

With the mouse trapped Nisha was thinking rationally again.
"No. Of course not, darlings. You helped me and I would
never do that to you. I know how much you love animals. I
love them too. Its just mice. I don't understand why, but I
am terrified of them. But I don't want to hurt them."

Reassured Tania asked "So what do we do then?"

"Well it is a really good thing you caught it so close to
the front door. The door doesn't have a threshold either. So
very slowly if we drag the tub out, without lifting it, the
mouse will move along. Tania and Sonali you can go out with
the bucket. We can close the front door and then you can
pick up the tub and let the mouse run free. When the mouse
is far away from the front door, knock, and I'll open it."

Moving the bucket weighed down by heavy books, without
hurting the little mouse within, or letting it escape was
hard work. The kids and even Nisha took turns at it. Finally

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