The Strawberry Letter - It’s Between Me and the Mouse

Dear Steve and Shirley,

I'm married and think we have a rodent problem in our house due to my husband's friend. Let me be clear: we don’t have a filthy house, and we only eat in our kitchen and occasionally in our living room. My husband got out of the military a few years ago, and we chose to settle down in a metropolitan area. When our friends come to town, they always want to stay with us. So, when my husband's friend asked to stay with us while he looked for a house in our area, we agreed.

Since his friend has been in our home, there have been certain smells I've never experienced before. My husband mentioned that his friend is into holistic healing and uses various body oils. I told his friend that we believe in the Lord and prefer to go to the hospital if something is wrong with us. We got into a big argument over his holistic practices. Besides the stench coming from our guest room, I saw something tiny and black running quickly out of the room. I told my husband it might be a mouse that probably came from his friend's luggage.

My husband said I’m overreacting because I don’t like his friend. That same night, while we were in the shower with the walls steamed up, I saw a small black speck on the floor and yelled that it was a mouse. My husband has perfect vision, and I wear glasses, so if I saw it, he surely saw it too. Whatever it was quickly ran away.

I’m convinced that this oily man has brought rodents into our house, and my husband has allowed him and his mouse to stay here as long as needed. Why is my husband insisting on making me miserable? What should I do?