FOCUS
by Ray O'Bannon


SNAP!
Oh gross
That was the trap, I caught a mouse
Maybe not, maybe it wasn’t the trap
Maybe something just fell over
(it was the trap, you know it was)
It was probably the trap
I better go check
(Oh gross, I don’t want to see it)
No big deal, I’ll just go throw it out
(Gross, I don’t even want to look)
Nothing I can’t handle

Snap on the kitchen lights, glance around
Cabinet door’s still closed
(but it’s in there, you know it is)
Better wait and listen, be sure it’s dead
(was that a scratching sound?)
Here’s a plastic bag to throw it into
(what if it isn’t dead, what if it’s…)
No sound, it must be dead

OK, here comes the tricky part
(Oh gross…)
No big deal, just need to focus
Just need to open the cabinet
(no, don’t open it, I don’t want to)
And focus on the trap
No need to look at the mouse
(I’m gonna puke)
Just focus on the trap
Just the trap

Swing open the cabinet door
There it is, the trap’s upside down
(don’t look at the mouse, just the trap)
Must have snapped really hard
(Don’t think about that)
Just need to grab the trap
(focus on the trap)
And throw it away

Here we go…
(focus... focus...)
See the wood? Pretty wood
(don’t look away from it)
Could carve a nice trinket
Maybe a keychain
(don’t look away)
From such nice wood

Seems heavy
(don’t think about that)
Just open the plastic bag
(focus)
And throw it inside
(OH GOD)

And now close the bag
(OH MY GOD)
Open the garage door
(WHAT WAS THAT?)
And toss the bag
(WHAT WAS THAT?)
Into the trash bin
The nice big trash bin
(THAT WAS NOT A MOUSE!)
With the nice tight lid

There we go
Nothing to worry about

Everything’s OK
Everything’s fine

I wonder what’s on TV…