Rodent Wars -- Part 4,299

I had foolishly convinced myself that I got "the last of" the mice on Sunday. Hadn't seen anything or any evidence of them since Sunday. There had been mouse droppings around my kitchen garbage and there were none on Monday and Tuesday -- and this morning.

Tonight about 7 I was in the kitchen and I hear movement in the garbage and sort of chuckle to myself that I'm being paranoid that it's a mouse because I killed the last two living mice on Sunday night, didn't I?

Soon enough, though, it was clear it was a mouse and then it jumped out of the garbage. Oh man.

I decided I have to get (more) serious about this, and spent time researching pest control. Finally decided on a place called Pestaway which was voted New York Magazine Best Exterminator in NYC. It's also eco-friendly. I read the consumer comments and these were slavishly grateful to this company. Most of the comments were about bed bugs and mice.

I did have a moment of gratitude that I have mice and not bed bugs. One comment about a person who had bed bugs began by saying he/she is a neurosurgeon -- it really blows the myth that only poor people and slobs have bed bugs. I can't imagine living with those.

Anyway so rather than calling to discuss, I filled out a form to "order services" and for requested date, I put "first available." There was a space for comments and I wrote my history of mice, my attitude toward them, much like I was talking to a therapist.

This sounds crazy, but how my brain works is I want the mice gone but I don't want any disruption in my life to do this. But now the guy will come and hopefully I chose the right company. I don't think I have ever read such glowing customer comments -- over and over, people talked about how much money they spent on other bad exterminators -- going through 3 and 4 companies before finding Pestaway.

I'm also going to call the building management tomorrow. Someone had asked why I don't make the building do this -- use their exterminator -- but I simply don't trust them. The guy would show up and do a crappy, half-assed job. That I am certain of. So I'd rather spend my own money and be in control and have it done right... but the building management might at least step up their own control in the basement.

To be continued...