Night Shift

I was awoken around 3:00 a.m. this morning by the rustle of activity on the floor near my bed. I reached over and turned on a night light to see what I already suspected was going on. My cat was sitting there toying with a mouse. And since she was aware of my alertness, she serviently picked the mouse up in her mouth and sat facing me for my approval. Not wanting to disappoint her for her good work, I scratched her on the head, gave her the "Good Girl", then turned the light off and let her get back to her night job.
It's not likely that the mouse was upstairs in my bedroom. She caught it in the kitcken or pantry down stairs and transported it to our upstairs lair specificaly for my approval.
Normally, if it were still alive, I may have praised her for her work and then set the beast free with a where did it go? look on my face. Then she could continue with the thrill of the chase. But tonight I didn't want to get out of bed and walk down stairs to release it outside. Sometimes it's best to respect her work and let her reap the pleasure of fresh meat.
Next I'm laying there thinking, if it gets away, how long will it live in my bed springs or closet? Will it raise a family in my room? Should I at least take it down to the wood shed? I turned the light back on to see her laying on the floor in the sphinx position facing the closet.
The beast was free.
Well, I've been here before. She won't give up untill the game is over. Let her have her fun, I say.
At 5:00 a.m. She still hadn't moved. Patience is a virtue, or so they say.
I have to go to work now. I'll be gone all day.
Her work will go on until she conquers the beast that lives somewhere in my room.
I'm just happy that she'll have something to do while I'm gone.
Experience will tell me to watch my step while entering the house in the dark tonight. She allways leaves me the liver and the head.
I love that darn cat.