The Mouse House takes place in an old family cottage set in southern Ontario Canada. Carson, a fifties something very successful author has arrived at the end of the season to write his new book. He chose this time so as not to be distracted from anything or anyone. One night after he's fallen asleep at the computer, someone climbing through the window of the cottage awakens Carson, he hides and hits the intruder over the head knocking him out. When the intruder awakes we are introduced to an angry juvenile delinquent that soon discovers that he's chained by the leg to a large metal bed. This play demonstrates a clash of cultures between two very different individuals with a surprising twist in the story. This play keeps you on the edge of your seats and guessing right until the end. Cast: 1 woman and 3 men. please note: The bad language in this segment has been replaced with less offensive language for website publication policy.

The Mouse House. 

Scene 2

Scene opens as daylight begins to pour in through the 
window. We see Carson sitting in a rocking chair that�s 
been placed in front of the open doorway of the bedroom. 
He rocks slowly back and forth. In his arms he holds a 
shotgun. Lying on the bed is the intruder still 
unconscious. 

The intruder stirs, Carson stops rocking and holds the 
shotgun in his hands.

INTRUDER
	(Waking up, groggily)
Oouuuchhh! 

He brings his hands to his head and flinches as he 
reaches for the place where he'd been hit.

INTRUDER (CONT'D)
	(Flinching)
Ar! . . . ! 

He looks at his hand to see if there's blood on it. He 
then looks around and sees Carson who is ready to shoot 
at the first moment of attack. They stare at each other 
as if neither can believe the scenario they find 
themselves in.  

Pause

INTRUDER
What did you hit me with man?

CARSON
La Fiorita, from Montalcino , two thousand and one.

INTRUDER
What?

CARSON
I hit you with a bottle of fine Brunello red wine, 
described as a good straightforward red recommended 
for pasta dishes as well as red meats, neither of 
which is procurable at the moment. 

INTRUDER
You hit me with a crappy bottle of wine? 

CARSON
No, a crappy bottle of wine would be a French merlot 
this was much finer and far too good to be wasted as a 
weapons but I was limited. 

The intruder pulls himself up to almost sitting. 

INTRUDER
What...are you for real man?

CARSON
When I shaved this morning I nicked my chin which was 
sufficient affirmation of my existence, to me anyway.  

INTRUDER
Either you're waked out or you got yourself some bad 
case of cabin fever man.

CARSON
You broke into my property.

INTRUDER
So what you gonna do now, shoot me?

CARSON
Maybe. 

INTRUDER
You shoot me for break and enter old man and you'll 
be spending the rest of your days in jail.

CARSON
Only if they find your body. . . besides, you were 
armed, I believe they call that self defence. 

Carson shows him the knife. 

INTRUDER
That's not a weapon you jerk, I used it to 
open the window, I didn't know anyone was gonna be here. 

CARSON
Well, I'm sure after you explain it in those terms to a 
sympathetic judge he'll let you off with a slap on the 
wrist and twelve hours of community service. 

INTRUDER
So, you called the pigs then. 

CARSON
I presume you are referring to the police? 

INTRUDER
Well I don't mean the salvation army! 

CARSON
I resent that, the salvation army do some wonderful 
work and maybe if you had devoted some of your spare 
time volunteering with them instead of devoting your 
time to. .. . . . 

INTRUDER
Shut up will ya! I don't believe this, it's 
like being lectured to at school for God's sake. 

CARSON
Your situation is far worse than that young man. 

PAUSE.

INTRUDER
You know what I think, I think you aint got the bottle 
to shoot anyone. I think I could be off this bed and 
get to you before you know what hit ya. 

CARSON
You might be right, would you like to give it a try? 

INTRUDER
I will, but not yet. . .
	(Angry, holding his head again)
cuz my head feels like it's been broke in two, 
thanks to you.

CARSON
I think under the circumstances one might be grateful 
he was still alive. 

INTRUDER
	(Starts to cough)
My.  .my mouth. . .it's dry.  .I need water, man. 

CARSON
There is a pitcher and a glass on the table to your right. 

INTRUDER
	(Leaning over to get a glass)
Well aint you the perfect host? 

CARSON
I hope so, but please forgive me if there is anything 
I've forgotten, entertaining juvenile delinquents is a 
first for me. 

INTRUDER
	(Drinking and trying to look behind Carson))
So, you here on your own or what?

CARSON
Yes, quite alone. 

INTRUDER
I need a cloth or something, get this wine off a me. 

CARSON
You'll be fine. 

INTRUDER
	(Angry and intimidating)
I need to get it off! It's sticky.  .driving me mad, man. 
Please! 

CARSON
	(Sigh. . Standing up)
No funny business, I mean it! 

He backs over to the kitchen area and finds a cloth. He 
turns to run it under a tap when suddenly the intruder 
jumps off the bed and dives off the end Knocking things 
everywhere. As he lands sprawled out of the floor he lets 
out a scream as he realises that his leg is handcuffed to 
a chain attached to the heavy metal bed. He cannot reach 
very far out of the door. He frantically pulls on the 
chain.   

Carson raises his shotgun and points it at him in fear. 

INTRUDER
	(Screaming)
What the! . . get this chain off my leg. . .let me loose!
 I'm gonna kill you.  . . you hear me. . when . .I  . .get  this . 

Pointing the shotgun at him Carson goes over to the door 
and shuts it and locks it. He then backs away from the 
door and stares at it. In the bedroom the intruder has 
stopped struggling, breathing heavily he uses the bed 
frame to help him stand up then hobbles over to the bed 
and lies down again on his side and draws his knees up.  

INTRUDER
	(Quietly)
That's dirty. . .
	(Shouting)
That's dirty man, real dirty! 

Visibly upset, Carson collapses into the chair trying 
to calm himself down. 

Blackout. 

Scene 3 
Scene opens later, Carson is asleep in the chair. The 
intruder is awake.

INTRUDER
	(Calling)
Hey!. .Old man! You there.

Carson is awakened and raises the shotgun pointing it at 
the bedroom door. He gets up and goes over to it. 

CARSON
What do you want?

INTRUDER
	(Calling again)
I'm sorry alright! Open the door man.

CARSON
Are you going to behave?

INTRUDER
	(Sarcastically)
Behave. . . .Sure. . .

Carefully he unlocks the door and steps back in case he 
is pounced upon but is relieved to see that the intruder 
is back on the bed.

CARSON
That wasn't nice. 

INTRUDER
Well, excuse me for not being a model prisoner.