Movin’ Out!: Book One of the Movin’ Quadrilogy

By Jerry S. Hutter

Molly and Terrance are two civilized mice trying to quietly live in Mouseland while abiding by the laws created by Mice International. One morning while on food procurement duty in a suburban kitchen, Molly and Terrance barely escape with their lives before being detected by the Jones family—but not before they overhear Mrs. Jones threatening to fumigate the house!
Thankfully not everyone in the Jones house hates mice. The children, Samantha and Cianan, love the little creatures and will do anything to protect them. Meanwhile, all the mice of Mouseland have other challenges that include a trio of rat bullies—Shake, Rattelle, and Roll—and a neighbor lady who also hates mice. When Mrs. Jones decides to have her home fumigated, she plans a family camping trip. After her children forewarn the mice, the tiny creatures decide they should go camping too. But there’s only one problem: the rat trio is up to no good. Now it is up to a homeless dog to save them all, before it is too late.
In this delightful tale, a homeless dog and a group of mice teach a suburban family and other animals how to be kind and live in harmony.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Apr 26, 2020
• ISBN: 9781480888708

Jerry S. Hutter

Jerry Hutter loves children, animals, & old people, a group in which she finds herself belonging now.. She enjoys imagining stories about animals & has an extensive stuffed animal collection. She is an RN, still working into her 43rd year. She enjoys swimming laps (40most days) , beaches, & hiking in the woods with her dogs and family. Other hobbies are attending live plays, photography of family, friends & pets, & swing & freestyle dancing to live bands. She is an almost lifelong resident of St.Louis, & counts herself as one of the staunchest Cardinals fans! Jerry belongs to the Mo. Pageant Alumni Club, which sponsors the yearly Ms. Senior Missouri pageant. This group of 60-year-old-plus talented ladies entertain at nursing homes and other venues, and donate their funds to charities. She has 3 grown children, 5 grandchildren, & 1 great-grandaughter, who bring her a lot of joy!

Book preview

Chapter 1

Business Before Pleasure

"Here ye, here ye, call to order!!!! I call to order this meeting of Mice International! Quiet, please, quiet please!" Herman, the President of Mice International, local chapter 256, hit the podium with the gavel a few more times. The audience, which numbered about fifty-seven mice, was buzzing. They were gabbing, laughing, throwing paper airplanes made of cheese packages, and tittering at jokes.

QUI—ET! Herman screamed. You could now hear a pin drop. The crowd hushed and looked up at Herman, awaiting the gems of wisdom that would fall from his lips. The monthly meeting had now begun.

Okay, the first order of business is to review the business we reviewed at the last meeting. Secretary Fifer, could you please read us those notes ?

Poor Fifer! He had an awful time keeping his notes together. He actually loved being the secretary-it made him feel important to have such an awesome responsibility as this! But there were so many notes, and so little time to organize them! Fifer, with his signature little blue cap on, came running to the podium, stumbled on the bottom step, and tripped up the stairs to the stage. As he fell, his papers flew up everywhere! There must have been one thousand papers, scribbled messages on scraps of paper, and post-it notes of every color, all over the stage, the steps, in front of the stage….everywhere! The mess resembled the streets of New York after Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, or a ticker tape parade for a popular sports figure.

Oh, NO! Poor Fifer began picking up the papers. As he picked some up, a few more fell out of his hands. The mice in the front row began helping. Soon there were about twenty mice running, scrambling, bumping into each other, dropping more notes, picking more papers up; then they all ran to Fifer and shoved papers in his arms. Poor Fifer ran up the steps again, bumped into the podium as his hat fell down over his eyes, and dropped all the papers again! Mice started laughing, guffawing, cracking up, slapping each other on the back, and giggling.

Harrumph! Herman cleared his throat, looked through several dozen sheets of paper on the floor, handed them to Fifer, and said, Now, read these! Let’s get this meeting going!

Fifer pushed his hat back on his head. He got out his coke-bottle lens glasses, and began to read.

Crackers, Milk, bread, eggs, cheese, more cheese, fish, toilet paper.… his voice trailed off softly.

Not your grocery list, Fifer!!! The business meeting notes! The business meeting notes!! Herman was getting frustrated and beginning to turn a little red around his ears and on his cheeks.

"Oh, yes, yes, um….here they are….I think. Greetings, fellow Americans! It has come to our attention that you would do very well with this new credit card, Mouse Adventures Card. Just think of the fun you could have, and charge it, too! Take a ride on a train, or a leaf boat, see exotic places, do exotic dances, eat exotic cheeses…" Fifer’s voice got thinner and trailed off.

Herman yelled at the top of his lungs, "Fifer, the BUSINESS MEETING NOTES!!!" He was bright red now.

Oh yeah. Fifer said timidly, He bent over, shuffled through some more papers, and a handful of papers spewed up in the air and out of his hands all over the front of the stage.

Everyone began tittering. Herman glared at them and banged the gavel hard. Everyone was quiet again.

Ezra, who was known for his helpfulness, quickly ran up the stage steps and helped Fifer sift through the thousands of notes. He found a big yellow sheet with the heading Business meeting Notes.

Here ya go, Fifer. This is it. Ezra whispered, and then quickly returned to his seat.

Fifer approached the podium more confidently now.

Thanks, Ezra! he smiled as his hat fell down over his eyes. He quickly pushed it back up, cleared his throat, and began reading.

"Business meeting notes of 10/11. Attendance; Everyone was here. Business brought to attention and discussion-

Number one. Should we build a fence behind the Old elementary school to keep out the rats? Yea or nay. Yea, 51, nay 6.

Number two. Should all mice participate in building the fence? Yea, 2, Nay 55.

Number three. Should only the Office Holders of Mice International build the fence? Yea, 50, Nay 7.

Other business was as follows-

Mrs. McAlister has been attempting to annihilate mice in her yard with poison pellets. All Mice please be advised of this danger, and avoid Ms. McAlister’s yard. Do not cut through her yard to get to M & H ‘s (Mice & Hamster) grocery store-too dangerous! She has also set some traps, and has been known to try to kill mice and rats by pounding them with her broom. She has also been shooting them with a pea shooter. Doesn’t kill, but YOWCH!!! All mice are to avoid this area immediately! A sign will be installed at all sides of Mrs. McAlister’s yard by volunteer Barney Ruble."

Herman interrupted Fifer’s reading.

Hey, Barney, you out there? Herman put his paw over his eyes to try to block the stage light’s glare. A voice was then heard as all the mice looked around.

Yeah, here I am, Herman. It’s me, Barney.

Barney stood up. He always wore his deputy sheriff shirt, and always looked unkempt. His deputy badge was dangling halfway off his shirt, his hat was crooked, and his dark mouse hair stuck out in tufts from under his sheriff’s hat.

Yeah, well, I had to hand paint the signs myself. No one offered to help me. Not one mouse! Those signs are heavy corrugated cardboard. No one offered to help me lug them over to Mrs. McAlister’s yard. Are you aware how far that is? Barney’s voice got louder and louder as he talked.

You all need to help me. I can’t do everything by myself ! Just look at these signs! Barney hauled up a sign, and quickly fell to the floor underneath the weight of the heavy cardboard. The signs were written with black marker in heavy printing, which was crooked, but legible—

KEEP OUT! DANGER. If you walk onto this property chances are you will die! and finally Beware of Ms. McAlister! She’s a witch! then he had crossed out witch, and wrote, I mean, she’s really mean, AND she doesn’t like mice, and she may kill you!

Herman called out, Hey, some of you get up and hold up those signs…help the poor guy out! as Barney was falling all over trying to hold up the signs.

Bring those signs up here! Herman barked. Only two mice tried to help carry the signs. They kept dropping them.

Herman got exasperated.

"This is what I mean, Mice! Look at this poor pathetic little group of mice trying to help carry these big heavy signs up here! You all have to help each other out! Only two mice to carry four signs!? You guys need to get off your duffs and help each other out. Look, fellow mice... Herman said, pleading. We are all in this together. It takes every single mouse to pull together as a unified group to get anything accomplished. It’s not just for me, or Barney, or Fifer here, to do everything!"

Herman gave a fatherly smile at poor Fifer, shook his head back and forth in pity, almost imperceptibly, and continued, If we ever want to accomplish anything and succeed in this world, we have got to stick together, work together, and pull together! Got it?

Hey,I like that!! someone from the audience yelled.

It was a female mouse, Savannah. She was a lovely mouse, with long dark hair, big bright eyes with long black eyelashes, and lipstick on her ample mouse lips. She had a slight accent as her parents came over from Cuba several years ago. They had stowed away on a big ship. She stood up as she talked.

"I want to make a motion! I make the motion that our society, Mice International, accept what Herman just said as our 3 new laws-#one, Stick together; # two, Work together, and # three, Pull together. I vote to implement these 3 laws as belonging to our Club!" Savannah smiled proudly, and sat down.

A cheer went up from all the mice. Mice threw their hats in the air!! There were screams, cheers, whistles, and all kinds of carrying-on. Some mouse hit a cowbell with a drum stick.

"QUI—ET!" Herman yelled and down came the gavel, crashing noisily on the podium, many times. Finally all were again hushed.

Alright, let’s vote on it.

But Herman , Fifer reminded him, Before we vote, we have to have someone second that motion. Suddenly a small mouse stood up and began singing,

I second that emotion… like Smokey Robinmouse used to do. Several mice tittered! Herman smacked the gavel down on the podium for more quiet.

Alright, Fifer, let’s take a vote. All those in favor of having these three laws as our new laws,,,,,, then he whispered to Fifer, Uh, what are they again, Fifer?

Fifer straightened his hat.

The laws are—1. Stick together. 2. Work together and 3. Pull together.

Herman banged the gavel.

Alright. All those in favor, raise your paws. ….you count the paws, Fifer. Many little mouse paws flew up into the air.

Don’t forget to count me, Fifer! a little mouse yelled. His name was Little Mike. Another mouse sat on his Father’s shoulders and held up his hand.

See my paw?? Don’t forget to count me!

Pretty soon, the whole room was full of mice, jumping up and down, standing in their chairs, running up to the stage, and calling out, Hey Fifer, count me, count me! Fifer kept trying to count, then someone would move, and he’d have to start over.

Uh, one, uh, two, uh, four, no, three, uh, six, uh, eight, no …twenty-two…hey, stop moving! Fifer was getting very flustered. He grabbed his hat with his hand.

Herman yelled his famous, "QUI-=ET!!!! Until we get all these votes counted, we will not have our super- secret special dinner tonight!"

Immediately, all the mice ran to their chairs, sat down, and quietly raised one paw. Fifer and Herman continued to count.

Herman asked Fifer, Did you count Marco? Did you count Bessie? Did you get Anopheles? Fifer appeared confused. I think I did. I don’t think I got Anopheles, though. They both began counting again. It was obviously not working.

Herman yelled again, Let’s start over! All those in favor say Aye!

A resounding Aye! came from nearly every mouse and rang out loudly throughout the small auditorium, shaking the walls a little.

All those not in favor, say Nay. Somewhere in the middle of the audience a tiny voice rang out shrilly, Nay!

Who was that?!? Herman barked grumpily, staring into the auditorium, shading his eyes from the glaring stage lights, trying to see who the dissenter was.

It was me, Herman. Melanie. Melanie Mouse smiled.

Herman used his fatherly voice.

Now, Melanie, why don’t you want to vote for these new laws? These are great laws! Everybody loves them but you! Why are you being so difficult? Immediately other mice in the area began bugging Melanie.

Yeah, what’s wrong with you? and of course, someone had to say, Are you man or mouse? to which Melanie replied, I am woman, hear me roar!

Melanie explained. I like the laws, but the reason I’m not voting for them is I’m too weak to pull very much. I was at the gym the other day, I couldn’t even lift a 5 ounce weight. So I like the laws, but I’m afraid I would not be able to pull very much. So if I can’t vote for law # 3, I can’t therefore accept all 3 laws. Ya see? Melanie asked in her high pitched squeaky mouse voice.

Herman snorted and guffawed.

"Oh, for Swiss cheese’ sake!!! Melanie, these laws are just laws. They don’t really mean anything! They don’t mean we’re really going to do them! They’re just for looks. We’ll make some nice posters, put them up on the walls, and around the neighborhood, and other animal groups will see them and realize we are TOP MICE because we have a set of laws we live by. All civilized animals should live by a set of laws. So that’s all it is. Just vote for it, okay?" He sounded a little weary, exasperated and pleading.

Okay, Melanie said quietly. "Yea instead of nay.’ She smiled.

It’s ubiquitous!!!! Herman yelled.

That’s unanimous! Fifer corrected.

That’s what I said, obsequious! Herman yelled.

Moo-banana-moose!!!! said little Baby Olivia in her baby mouse voice.

Now every mouse did get up and do a dance. You would have thought it was New Year’s eve! Some mice threw confetti, some whistled, some blew a horn, some rattled those funny, squawky,noisy hinges you rattle on New year’s eve; some rattled chains, blew whistles, and some rang bells. Chaos ensued. Everyone looked so very happy!

"QUI____ET!" Herman finally screamed, and banged the gavel loudly. Again all mice took their seats and looked eagerly to Herman for the next bit of news.

I’m afraid after that joyous bit of news, we have some not so good news. Our relationship with our Adoptive family, the Jones’, is getting rocky. I’d like Terrance and Molly to come up here and give us an account of what happened yesterday. All mice, please pay attention, for this is of the utmost seriousness, and can affect all our lives.

A hush fell over the auditorium. Everyone looked around for Terrance and Molly to come up to the stage. Finally, they were spotted in the back of the crowded auditorium. They both had earbuds in, and were listening to Mouse music on their Mousepods. Mice started calling to them, finally nudging them. It took several minutes to get their attention. Finally, Wally, a very serious, stern, hard-working mouse, nudged them both and yelled. Nothing happened. They were oblivious to the outside world. They were bobbing their heads to the music. Finally, Wally popped the ear buds out of Terrance’s ears.

Go up on stage! he yelled.

Terrance said, OH.

Terrence turned to Molly and yelled at the top of his lungs, We’re supposed to go on stage! but Molly had just popped out her ear buds, so when Terrence yelled, she almost jumped out of her skin!

Yowtch! she covered her mouse ears with her paws and frowned.

Sorry, Molly. Terrance apologized meekly. They both approached the stage.

Please, Herman told the hushed crowd, Everyone, Listen closely to their story. It’s mighty scary. he said in a low, tremulous voice.

Mice in the audience now decided to say Hi to Molly and Terrance. They were very popular teen mice.

Hi, Molly, Hi Terrance! Mary Mouse said, Then Bobby Mouse said it, too. Pretty soon, many voices were chiming in, Hi, Terrance, Hi, Molly! How are you guys? Molly and Terrance got distracted by waving, saying Hi back, and saying Oh, Hi, how are you, Mary? Bobby, Hi!

Herman again had to yell his classic, QUI—ET!!! and of course another gavel bang!

Terrance, tell every mouse what happened yesterday. And Herman whispered to him, Try not to scare the children.

Baby Olivia, sitting in the front row with her Mom and Dad said, Hey, I heard that, and now I’m scared! Katie hugged her Baby Olivia, and then Terrance began. Everyone was now straining to listen and leaned in towards the stage.

Molly had big tears in her eyes as Terrance began recounting their story.

"Oh, it was so scary! Molly and I were assigned to Food Procurement & Delivery yesterday, along with Andrea, Debbie, and Little Mike." All three mice named sat up and smiled widely. Little Mike stood on his seat and took a bow.

Okay, Sit, Mike. So we were in the Jones’ kitchen collecting some food, and loading it onto our little red wagons to bring back to the Mouseland kitchen and food prep area. the Jones’ were sleeping late as it was Sunday, so normally we have until 9:30 in the morning to collect our food and get out of the kitchen. Well, we were in the middle of collecting some cereal, bread, cheese, hot dogs, left over mashed potatoes, and a pork steak, when the family came down into the kitchen for breakfast.

Who came down, the whole family??? someone asked.

Yes, Terrance continued. It was Mrs. Jones, Mr. Jones, and the 2 kids, Samantha and Cianan.

It was terrifying! Molly interjected. Mrs. Jones’ hair was a huge mess, and she had on her ratty red robe, and the kids hadn’t brushed their teeth yet…..

Yes,Terrance chimed in. I almost fainted from the smell! All the mice laughed.

Now all the Mice knew that Mr. and Mrs. Jones did NOT like mice, but that their two kids, Samantha and Cianan, did. In fact, Samantha and Cianan LOVED the mice and were friends with them! Sometimes they all played together in the kids’ rooms—without Mr. and Mrs. Jones finding out, of course. Samantha and Cianan would also help the mice out by sneaking them bits of food, giving them rides in their backpacks to the Mouseland stores, or meet them at the creek to go swimming and fishing, or even sometimes to school! Everyone also knew that Mr.