It was a precarious life Jerry lived. He made his livelihood sneaking into peoples' homes and grabbing what he could. Most of Jerry's acquaintances had been caught long ago and he'd not seen them again. For this reason Jerry was most careful.

He never entered a home without checking it meticulously. Would there by anything or anyone to catch him? Most often he worked at night. While pets were a particular problem, they were not his greatest fear.

Long ago he moved from huge office buildings to nice residential neighborhoods finding the rewards more to his taste. He wouldn't take everything at once, he couldn't. He would take just enough to get him through a few days and then return for another night's work.

He crept silently to the patio door and was grateful to find it cracked. Once inside he waited silently to see if a dog or cat would come running, they didn't. Jerry made his way to the one room where most people kept what he wanted.

The house remained completely dark and silent. Without disturbing a soul he started taking what he could. Jerry was beginning to relax. Just like a thousand times before he would slip safely away.

Jerry saw a prize to make the night worthwhile and gingerly grabbed it. 'Bam!'�

The noise woke the man and woman sleeping in their bedroom and they quickly ran to the pantry. 'Looks like you finally got that darned mouse,'� the woman said to her smiling husband.

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