AR-News: (NY - US) Of Mice and Real Men...A True Story

[Snugglezzz at aol.com]

OF MICE AND REAL MEN

     It's winter in the countryside of western New York, mid-January and
the  temperatures are frigid..with brisk winds and all- too- often lake 
effect snows riding in off of Lake Erie.  Like many country residents, we 
do not have access to natural gas, instead having to depend on propane 
deliveries.  We're fortunate in that we are surrounded by dense woods so 
that monstrosity of a  propane tank is invisible in it's leafy or timbered 
camouflage.

     Elkhorn is the name of the company that provides us with our fuel.
They have been reliable and often stop en-route to a delivery to check the 
tank's gauge, filling it up when necessary.  Maybe it's old age creeping 
up, but we did not show our usual concern with the thermostat,  kicking it 
up to whatever temperature seemed comfortable to us.  So much for 
economizing.

     One weekend afternoon, Peter, my husband, went out to shovel snow
and decided to check the propane tank gauge.  He came in to tell me that 
when he removed the cap that covers it, he was greeted by the surprised 
stares of a family of deer mice.  He was able to note the gauge level and 
carefully replaced the cap.  I didn't know that he would worry about this 
mouse family for the next few days.
     On Tuesday evening, Peter came home from work, sat down and explained 
that he had called the Elkhorn Company about ordering more propane.  He 
said he asked the woman on the phone to relay to the delivery person to 
"not push out the mouse family that lives under the gauge cap!".  She 
chuckled and replied "Oh, I guess you didn't know that our driver stopped 
yesterday and made a delivery at your house.  The driver did  see the 
mouse family and they should still be there... he didn't push them out of 
their home.  In fact, we have a picture of them posted here in our office 
for everyone to enjoy!"

     You have to love REAL men!

Gail Clark
Fredonia, NY
owlcaller at hotmail.com