Mardy Mouse.... Mardy Mouse

 I have played fiddle since I was 5 years old.  I have won and lost my share of competitions, but I have never enjoyed competing.  Primarily due to the fact I am a sore loser!  I have been to so many competitions, I couldn't attempt to count them all.  My parents had a bluegrass band, and they were extremely good.  The had made a name for themselves and won most contests they entered.  When they had a show or contest to do, we would load up in our Mercury Zephyr, and head out.  Daddy would drive, and Mama and me would sit in the backseat behind Daddy.  The big bass fiddle rode in the passenger seat, and the rest of the instruments were either in the trunk or taking whatever space was left over.  There was one time Daddy put the bass in the trunk of the car, but the top (scroll) of the bass was sticking out.  Daddy had wrapped the bass with blankets and pillows to hopefully protect it from the outside.  After they had played the show, we loaded up and headed for home.  Not long after we had left, it started to pour down rain.  In a panic, we pulled over and put a garbage bag over the part of the bass that was hanging out of the trunk.  Keep in mind, the car was black, with no hubcaps.  The back end of the car would scrub the ground anytime we hit a bump, which would cause quite the light show from the sparks coming from the bumper.  If you had seen us, you would have sworn we were trying to hide a body in that trunk and the only thing that wouldn't fit was the head that we were trying to conceal with a black garbage bag.  After several years of this travel set up, Paw decided to buy a van for us to travel in.  Nice of him right?  However, there was one small catch!  The catch was Granny and Paw got to go everywhere we did!  I don't think Daddy really cared for the idea, but the van was nice, and we had plenty of room.  I was probably 14 or so, and we decided to go to one of the nearby bluegrass competitions.  By this time, my family had bought a house and moved from our home beside Granny and Paw.  We moved ALL of the way on the back side of the corn field, but still on the same property.  It felt like I lived in another world completely, but all I had to do was look out my bedroom window and see their house. The night before the contest, I was in my bedroom, and noticed a small mouse at the foot of my bed.  I screamed, and the mouse disappeared!  I had no idea where it went, and that was ok, because it was gone!   The morning of the contest came, so we got ready and loaded up.  I wore my jeans, a button up shirt, and my favorite red cowboy boots.  I looked like a million dollars, but in the end, I would feel like I went bankrupt!  The competition was fierce, but I got up there and played my heart out!  I ended up winning!!!  Mama and Daddy's band took home first in every category they entered, and Daddy won first place in the buck dancing category.  This particular contest had finals, which meant if you place in the top 3, you moved on to the finals.  There was a pretty long break between categories, so all of our bunch gathered and sat under the pine trees to relax.  My feet were killing me, so I decided to take off my boots.  I remember after taking of my left boot, something fell out.  Not thinking anything of it, I propped my sock feet up on Mama's guitar case.  The time had come for me to head to the stage and compete in the final round.  I put my boots on, and I headed to the stage with Mama and Daddy going with me.  I finished my part, then it was my parent's bands turn.  Like I said, the night ended with us coming away with top awards!  Everyone was on a cloud of happiness.  We loaded the van and started the journey home.  Daddy drove, and Mama sat beside him.  I sat in the seat behind Daddy, and Paw sat in the seat beside me, while Granny and my little sister were in the back.  We had made it several miles down the road when I decided to take off my boots.  I was sick of my feet hurting, so I was going to remedy this problem.  I kicked my left boot off, then the right.  It only took a few seconds before we started to smell the smell of DEATH!!!  We first thought it was rotting food left in the van for a month, OR we had just past a decaying Bigfoot laying in a ditch.  Either way it was terrible.  After another several miles, the smell was still just as strong.  My Paw NEVER scolded me for anything (and boy did he have plenty of times to do it)!  He looked at me and said, "Tina, I think that is your feet stinking"!  Naturally this made me gasp at the fact somebody would think my feet smelled like rotting flesh!  I assured them it was NOT my feet and was offended they would think such a thing.  Daddy didn't believe me, so he turned ALL of the interior lights on, and made ME smell of my boots.  I picked my left boot up first, and for some reason I turned it upside down.  When I did this, something fell out!  I KNEW WHAT IT WAS!!!!!!!  Remember the mouse in my room that I couldn't find?  Well honey, I knew EXACTLY where that thing had gone!  It had fell in my boot and had gotten trapped.  I had shoved my foot down in the boot that morning and sent that little fella to the great mouse house in the sky!  Remember when I took my boot off at the contest and something fell out.  Oh, that was the front half of the mouse!!  The back half hung on for dear life and let its presence be known on the trip home.  It was one of the most shocking moments of my life.  Daddy threatened to pull over at a car wash to power wash my feet, and Granny and my sister were gagging and screaming in the back seat.  Mama had her window down with her head hanging out like a dog going for a joy ride, and I was sitting there crying uncontrollably realizing what had happened!   Paw, with a kind and soft voice said, "Tina, I believe you're gonna have to throw them boots away hun"!  Of course, that didn't help things AT ALL!!  Every window in the van was down, so I took the opportunity to heave my boots and socks out the window.   It was amazing, after those items were gone, the sweet smell of pine from the 50 little green air fresheners Mama had thrown from the front to the back of the van.  The gagging and screaming subsided, and Mama was able to get back inside and roll up her window.  Daddy didn't pull over at the car wash, and I was still bawling!  What would I do if word got out about this?  How could I hold my head up if anyone knew!  I had confidence in my loving family to never let this secret be known.  I came home and obviously took a mega bath, focusing on my left foot, then went to bed.  I slept with the calming thoughts of my dear sweet family never telling this horrific story.  I woke up on a beautiful Sunday morning hearing laughter.  I thought since it was the Lord's Day, my parents were just happy they had lived another day.  Ohhhhhh nooooooo, Mama had already made her rounds with family and told that story to any and everybody who would listen!  I wasn't taking that, so I made my way to Granny and Paw's house!  I walked in and the first thing I hear from Granny was, "My God Tina, did you wash them stinkin' feet"?  Paw said, "Now Inez leave her alone"!  He also asked me, "Tina you don't plan to take off your shoes in here do you"?  I said, "I will have you know I took a bath and I'm clean as a whistle"!  Years have gone by, and I am proud to say I have been rat free the entire time.  I can't see a red pair of boots or smell fresh pine without thinking of the day Marty Mouse died in my boot.