A Conversation Between a Bulldozer and a Mouse

A large bulldozer was tearing up a field in which a family of mice had made their nest. As the bulldozer carved its way nearer and nearer to their home, the mice could hear the groans of wounded bitterweeds and the gasps of slain beetles rising from all sides of the field. “What shall we do?” the miceling were crying, but their parents only stared and trembled as the terrible jaws gnashed the earth. At last the father mouse leaped forward and ran up to the machine, which he addressed as follows:

“Lord Bulldozer, spare my little family; we are poor but honest mice that have lived in this useless lot for many years without disturbing the peace.” “And what makes you think that I have come to disturb the peace?” replied the bulldozer. “Well–” said the mouse. “Nonsense,” the bulldozer retorted; “you are thoroughly mistaken. I am leveling the ground for an eightyfive-story apartment house as a special favor to you mice.” “As a special favor to us mice?” “Yes, sir. You have been disgracefully happy in a sordid nest with an occasional dandelion in your gullet; but after I have finished my work, you will take your pick of five dozen rooms, each one overflowing with bread and cheese, potatoes, and lamb chops. The nation of mice will thrive; you will publish odes to me.” “I am very glad that the nation of mice will thrive,” said the mouse, “but what about us?” “Who is us?” “Us, me, my woman, and my two miceling!” “I don’t know us, my and me,” said the bulldozer, “I deal in principles.” The mouse ran back to his family, and said as cheerfully as he could: “The bulldozer brought me good news: he is growing an apartment house here especially for the nation of mice, and we are going to live in whipped cream to the end of time.” But before the mother could make a comment (and that was a pity, because she was a sensible beast), a ton of earth fell on top of them and the bulldozer churned on. Let you and me be more careful than these mice, and when we see progress coming our way, jump aside in time. This is one of Oscar Mandel’s 47 “Gobble-Up Stories”, which together with the extraordinary yarns “Chi Po and the Sorcerer” and “The History of Sigismund, Prince of Poland”, make up his Otherwise Fables. 270 pages, Prospect Park Books, publishers of the companion Otherwise Poems and the author’s polyphonic Last Pages (essays, a play, novellas, poems).