A year later, I’m finally ready to tell this story.

Prepare yourself, this won’t be something you’re expecting to hear.

Every morning, I used to leave my practice bag in Mrs. Confino’s room because I had her class seventh period. I would drop it off before first period and grab it when the bell rang at 2:30.

Not that day.  That day, I was running late and didn’t have time to put my bag in Confino’s closet. I only had time to throw it, half open, in a corner of her room. (Pay attention, this part is important later.)

As the day went on, I didn’t think anything of it. In hindsight, I should have come back later and zipped my bag and put it in the closet.

You think you know where I’m going with this story–it’s obvious, right?  You leave your bag open and you’re inviting someone to steal from you.  I mean, Confino even had her leather jacket stolen out of the very same closet where I typically kept my bag. 

Well that didn’t happen.  You know how people tell you to expect the unexpected?  It’s a cliche, but I definitely didn’t expect what happened next.

*Bing Bing Bing Bing*

The final bell rings. The day was over.  I still had a two-hour practice I needed to get through, so I grabbed my bag from Confino’s room and made my way towards the mixing bowl–the center of the school where people meet up between classes and after school.

 One of my friends needed something out of my practice bag. 

I reached in and felt something move across my hand.

Well, more like run across my hand.

I looked in and thought I saw a leaf. “How did a leaf get into my bag when it was in Confino’s room?” I wondered, leaning in for a closer look.

The “leaf” started running on four furry little legs and swishing its tail.  Because that “leaf” was actually a mouse.

I dropped my bag, screamed, and immediately burst into tears. Not because I was scared (although I was), but because a live MOUSE ran across my hand.

The mouse rapidly scurried out and ran across the mixing bowl.  Everyone else began to scream and jump around, but the fingers pointed in my direction made sure that everyone knew it came from MY bag. 

I ran back upstairs to Confino’s room, humiliated, crying, and wanting nothing more than to drown my hands in an ocean of hand sanitizer.  Of course, she laughed for a good twenty minutes when I told her what happened and begged to see a video.  Don’t go to Confino if you want sympathy (kidding, Mrs. Confino, I love you!).

But I learned something that day: NEVER leave your belongings on the ground (especially unzipped in a corner). If you’re running late, take the time to zip your bag and put it in a closet or on a table.

Don’t make the same mistake I did.

Or else, the next time you think you see a leaf in your bag, it might be something much, much worse.