September 12, 2018

Candles for Algernon

I couldn't figure out what the smell in the kitchen was. Finally, I pulled out the drawer underneath the stove and there, at the very back, was a dead mouse, caught in a mousetrap that I'd left there last spring. I pulled the mouse out and gave it a proper burial by tossing it into the woods, and then I scrubbed the linoleum.

But still, the odor lingered. So I grabbed the two small yellow beeswax candles in glass votive candle holders that were sitting on a windowsill. I lit the candles and set them on the floor in front of the stove. Surely that would get rid of the smell, now that I'd removed the source.

My youngest son, With-a-Why, the only one of my four grown children still living at home, came downstairs and looked at the candles curiously.

With-a-Why: What's that?
Me: There was a dead mouse.
With-a-Why: So you're having a vigil?

Yes. That's it exactly.

9 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

Smiling broadly.

Sandy said...

Ha.

Far Side of Fifty said...

:) :)

Barbara said...

Well why wouldn’t you? I suspect I will be giggling about this for the rest of the day!

Michelle said...

I am laughing out loud, of course a vigil!

L said...

YAY!! A blog post from you! Such a wonderful treat! You should blog more often (says she who is hardly ever blogging anymore, ;-)
Remember that we vowed to be the last two bloggers standing? We should!

Jeanie said...

Welcome back to the world of blog and thanks for the visit, too!

I love your little boy more than I can say. He understands.

Tie-Dye Brother-in-law said...

I love the "little boy" description in the above comment. :-)

BrightenedBoy said...

Good to see you back again! Your vignettes are always so enjoyable.