The Misadventures of Sally and Herman Part 1: Friends Don't Let Friends Live with Stinky Hamsters

Chapter 1: The Beginning

Sally didn’t want to move to a new house. She didn’t want to go to a new school. She liked her old house, her old school and all her friends. The day Sally’s family moved into their new house she trudged up the big wooden staircase to her new room. She sat on the edge of her fluffy pink bed staring at her dollhouse. For the first time ever, she had no interest in playing with her dolls in their mini mansion. She was sad and just wanted to pout.

An hour went by and Sally’s mom called her down to lunch. She’d ordered pizza. Sally’s favorite, as a peace offering to cheer her up. It didn’t work. Sally picked at her pizza nd hurried back to her room. She plopped herself down on her bed, and that’s when she noticed something very odd. The furniture in her dollhouse was moved around and knocked over. The tiny plastic food from the little fridge was scattered all over, and her Terrific Theresa doll was knocked face down on the floor.

What was going on?! Sally was starting to get scared. Someone had been in her room. Maybe it was a ghost? Or a robber? She knew her mother wouldn’t believe her. She could hardly believe this herself. She decided her best bet was to hide under her blankets to see if she could catch the culprit.  She crawled into her fluffy bed, covered herself up and left a tiny hole to peek out of where she could see the doll house.

She waited. And waited. And waited. It seemed like hours had gone by. Then suddenly something small and gray scurried through the little rooms. She nearly shot up out of the bed, but she used all her might to stay as still as could be, her heart pounding. The little grey mass began tossing the plastic food around the kitchen. Sally squinted to get a better look, and she could not believe her eyes.  A mouse?! Why is there a mouse in my dollhouse?! She threw the covers off herself and sprung towards the dollhouse.

Chapter 2: Herman A. Mouse

The little mouse stared up at her in panic. His black beady eyes nearly popping out of his  fury head. “AHHH! Please no!” He squeaked.

          Sally stopped in her tracks. “What did you just say?” She demanded.

The little mouse quivered. “I…. I…I.. said please no. Please don’t hurt me!” His voice was high, but there was no doubt he was speaking words.

 “You can talk?”

He started to laugh uncontrollably. “Of course, I can talk! What do you think I am? A rat?” He fell on the floor, rolling around laughing harder and harder.

Sally stared.

“That’s just rude.” He said, finally controlling his laughter, standing up on his hind legs. “I Will forgive you though. Humans don’t seem to understand how hurtful they can be.” He extended his tiny paw toward her. “Herman A. Mouse. Pleased to meet you.”

This was the strangest thing Sally had ever experienced. Was there really a talking mouse in her room, and he was reaching for a handshake? Part of her wanted to run and scream, but she was too curious. Sally extended her finger to him, he began shaking it eagerly. “I’m Sally.”

“Do You like Cheeeeese?!” His high voice squeaked.

Sally thought for a moment. “I suppose.”

Herman began to bounce up and down in excitement. “Cheese is my favorite! It’s so yummy and delicious. Yellow cheese, White cheese, but not bleu cheese. Ew. Bleu cheese is not event cheese. Yuck. Yellow Cheese is my favorite. OH it’s sooooo good! Do you have any cheese?”

“Maybe. In the refrigerator.”

“The what?” He scratched his head.

 “The refrigerator. You know, the thing that keeps food cold.”

“Oh Yes. The big winter box! You don’t want to get stuck inside of that! No, No, No.” He shivered. “Herman got stuck in there once trying to get cheese. That was the 7^th worst day of Herman’s life.”

This little mouse sure could talk. “What are you doing in my dollhouse?” Sally asked, trying to change the subject.

Herman looked confused again. He tapped his chin in thought. “What’s a dollhouse?” He asked.

Sally giggled. “This tiny house you have made a mess in!”

 “You mean, this is not a Herman house?”

“No. it’s for my dolls.”

He sighed heavily. “Herman could never have a house this nice.”

“Where do you live? Sally asked, sitting on the floor next to the little rodent.

Herman pointed to a small hole in the wall. “It’s not very nice, not like this lady’s house.” He pointed to the Terrific Theresa doll, who still laid face down on the floor. “I only have one room. My bed is made from the guts of a toy that belonged to the dog beast who lived here before.”

Sally had to admit, this little mouse was cute. And he seemed very nice. She wondered why her mother was always so afraid of mice. It didn’t seem as though they were mean or tried to attack in anyway. So far, he was the only friend she had in her new house. “Let’s make deal. You can stay in this dollhouse and make it your own if you don’t make a big mess. And you have to hide from my mom when she comes in here, she would have a fit if she knew a mouse was living here!”

Herman’s eyes nearly popped out of his head with excitement. He began jumping up and down uncontrollably, clapping his paws. “Really?! Really?!” I can stay?! Herman can have a mouse mansion?! Herman is going to live in a real house! I am a classy mouse! Oh Sally! You are the best human ever!” He charged up her leg and crawled up to her shoulder. His tiny feet tickling her with every step. He threw his itty-bitty arms around her neck, well kind of.

Sally began to laugh. She finally had a friend at her new house. Even if that friend was a tiny excitable mouse.

Chapter 3: First Day of School.

Sally was fast asleep when she felt something bouncing up and down on her chest. She tried to pretend she didn’t notice. That didn’t work. It kept bouncing.

“Sally! Sally! Sally!” Herman’s voice squealed.

Sally groggily rubbed her eyes. Herman’s beady eyes and pointy nose were directly in front of her. “What Herman? I am sleeping.”

Herman shrugged. “Nothing. I just wanted to talk to you. I’m bored at that Theresa lady is not very nice.”

Sally sighed. “Herman, I need to sleep. I start school tomorrow.”

He cocked his head to the side, “What is school?”

Sally picked Herman up off her and set him on her pillow. “School is where human kids go to learn things.”

“Can Herman go to school?”

Sally shook her head. “No, it’s only for humans.”

 “Herman never gets to do fun things. He just wants to learn to. How is Herman supposed to become the smartest mouse in the world?” He pouted

“If I take you to school will you let me sleep?”

Herman nodded his head excitedly over and over again. “I do! I promise! Herman will be the best mouse ever!”

Herman hopped out of Sally’s bed and crawled into the bed in his mini mansion. “Herman is going to school. Herman is going to school.” He sang quietly.

“Herman. You need to be quiet and go to sleep.”

The next morning came quickly. Sally woke up to Herman jumping up and down on her pillow right by her head. “Time for school! Time for school!” He sang as loud as his little mouse voice would allow.

Sally rolled her eyes. She was not nearly as excited to go to school. She missed her old school, with her old friends. She didn’t know anybody at the new school. What if nobody liked her? She was terrified. At least she would have Herman. He would be able to keep her company if the other kids weren’t nice.

As she got ready for school Herman ran around the room like a maniac singing, “Herman goes to school! Herman will be smart! Herman will be a mouse president! GO to school. Eat some cheese. Herman goes to schoooooool!”

Sally grabbed her pink and green back pack, unzipped the small front pocket and told Herman to hop in.

He shook his head. “Herman is not a book, he is a mouse. A mouse is almost a people, you know?”

 “Herman, my mom can’t know you are going to school with me, and neither can the teacher or other kids. You will need to hide in my bookbag. And remember, you promised to be quiet and behave!”

Herman thought for a minute, then hopped into the Herman sized compartment. Sally zipped it up, leaving a small opening for fresh air.

When Sally and her mom arrived at the school she hopped out of the car and threw her back pack on her back, skipping to the classroom.  Sally’s teacher showed her to a desk in the back of the room.  Once the teacher walked away Sally unzipped her bag. Herman looked terrified.

“What’s wrong?” She whispered.

“Sally walked crazy! Herman is shook up, like the big robot Sally’s mom uses to dry clothes.”

Sally squinted. “A Dryer?”

He shrugged.

Sally carefully transferred Herman from the pocket to the inside of her desk. It was perfect for him to sit in and nobody would be able to see he was there.

The first couple of hours were a success. None of the kids really tried to talk to Sally. Herman was surprisingly quiet during the morning. Thank goodness. It seemed Sally did not have anything to worry about. Sally was glad when the teacher told them it was time for recess. It looked like a really nice day out, and she wanted to try the big monkey bars she saw in the playground.  She stood up from her desk to head outside.

“PSSSST.” She heard a tiny voice. Sally looked around to make sure none of the other kids were paying attention. They had mostly all ran outside.

She looked down at the desk. “You stay here. We’ll be right back.” She whispered.

“But Saaaalllyyy!!” Herman whined. “Recess sounds fun! I want to recess! Please take Herman recessing!”

“No, you stay. I’ll be back!” Sally demanded, hurrying outside with the other kids.

It really was a beautiful day out. She ran to the monkey bars and started to climb them. They were her favorite. A group of kids gathered around her, impressed by her monkey bar skills. She was finally making some friends and having fun. It was time to go inside before she knew it.

Everyone slowly made their way back to the classroom. Sally took her seat and peaked into her desk to make sure Herman was still there and behaving. He was sitting there quietly, giving Sally the biggest smile and waving his scrawny paw at her. “Herman was good!” He whispered.

Chapter 4: The Lunchbox Culprit

“Someone was in my lunchbox!” One of the kids cried a few desks away.

“Mine too!” Another kid called.

“There are bites out of my peanut butter sandwich! Right through the bag!”

“Same here! And my string cheese is missing!” Yelled a small blond girl across the room.

Sally instantly looked in her desk and shot Herman a glance. “Herman got hungry.” He shrugged.

“Herman!” She hissed quietly.  “You cannot steal food!” Out of the corner of her eye she spotted the string cheese wrapper under her desk. Oh no!  She thought. IF the other kids saw that they will think she was the one who stole the food. She made sure nobody was watching her and snatched the wrapper up, shoving it into her pocket. She glared at Herman.

He looked at her with sad eyes. “Oh no. I made Sally mad. Herman is sorry. My tummy was so grumbly though, and you said there would be cheese at school!”

 “I did not say there would be cheese at school. Please sit quiet the rest of the day.”

The teacher eventually calmed all the students down. They were still unsure who the lunchbox culprit was, but the teacher assured them she would solve the mystery after math. Math was Sally’s least favorite subject, but today she was happy to practice multiplication.

As her teacher went over the lesson Sally couldn’t stop thinking about how angry she was with Herman. She was never going to take him anywhere again!

At lunch time Sally peaked into her desk to tell Herman she would be right back. To her surprise there was no mouse inside her desk. Sally’s heart began to race. Nooo! Now what!  She scanned the classroom for any sign of Herman. Nothing. “Herman!” She called in a low whispered. Nothing. Her teacher was waiting at the door for her to go to lunch, she was the last to leave the classroom. She scurried on behind the other students.

Chapter 5: Friends Forever

Sally ate her lunch faster than she’d ever eaten anything before. She barely eve chewed her food. As soon as she was done she told the kids at her table she had to go to the bathroom and rushed down the hall. She peeked into the classroom and let out a sigh of relief when she saw nobody was in there.

“Herman!” She called.  She listened carefully for a reply. She could hear a barely audible whimper. She tilted her head in the direction of the small cry, following it until it got louder. She was lead the cage of the class hamster, Mr. Feet.  The crying was coming from inside, and it definitely sounded like a Herman cry.

“Herman?”  Sally said as she peaked in the cage.

“Herman isn’t here.” Herman’s voice squeaked from behind the food dish.

“Herman, I know that it’s you.”

He peaked his head out from behind the dish. “How did you know?”

 “Because you are the only talking animal I know!”

He slinked out into the open. “Herman made Sally mad. And Sally is Herman’s only friend. So he is going to move in with Mr. Feet, since he cannot live at Sally’s house. He doesn’t talk much, but he has cool tunnels.” He gestured to the really fat hamster lying in the corner sleeping.

“Oh Herman! I was upset, but you don’t have to move out! You are still my friend!”

Herman shook his head, “But Herman is a bad friend.”

Sally picked Herman up, and held him close to her face so she could look directly in his round black eyes. “Friends don’t let friends live with stinky hamsters.” She giggled. “You are my friend, even if you messed up.”

Herman smiled from ear to ear, his long mousey teeth sticking out. “Herman has never had a friend!”

The other students eventually started to come back from lunch. Sally hurried back to her desk and shoved Herman in it. The rest of the day flew by, Herman didn’t cause any more trouble. At the end of the day as Sally put him in the small pocket of her bag, he handed her a piece of paper It read, “Herman + Sally = Best Friend.” In green crayon. Sally finally had a new best friend at her new school.

Stay Tuned for Part 2, featuring a trip to the grocery story and a run in with a cat!