Riff-raff? Street rat? I don't buy that.

A lot of good stories are about orphans. Think about it. Superman - planet destroyed, orphan. Batman - parents killed, orphan. Spiderman - parents (and uncle) killed, orphan. It's that great American heroic archetype that I learned about in 7th grade and couldn't forget to save my life. Most heroes in the most popular stories are either fatherless or orphans.

Well, here's another.

This is Fievel. (Yes, as in "An American Tail: Fievel Goes West")

Those are bathroom Dixie cups he is sitting next to.

I found him in the subway station going home from work one day in early July. He was all alone, huddled next to the wall. He was hungry, thirsty, dirty and alone. There was a lady taking pictures of him, because he was so sweet and little. So, naturally, I went over and picked him up. He didn't even try to run away.

He rode in my hand the entire subway ride home. I found an empty Starbucks water cup and put him in there so I could text the boyfriend and ask him if he would be terribly opposed to adopting an orphan in need; who was probably going to be the next great hero. Well, I didn't tell him that part.

The boyfriend is a good person, and let Fievel stay. The only condition was that I take Fievel to the vet to see if he was the disease ridden, plague monster that all mice are.

Fievel passed the vet test with flying colors. the vet was taken by Fievel's adorableness, as all who meet him are, and said he hadn't seen such a young mouse on his own. I asked how old my dear Fievel was, the answer was 3 weeks. Mice don't even get fur until around 10 days, so he was far too young to be away from his family. Orphan = good story = future hero.

The first time the boyfriend held Fievel, he said, "I was not prepared for how cute he is." A co-worker went from "Ew, you TOUCHED it?" to "He's sitting in my hand! He's so cute!" in 24 hours. Fievel, the hero of all that is cute. The only problem, was he was small enough to fit through the bars of the first mouse house the boyfriend got him. So we had to get a house without bars. He's happy now, and cannot escape. Yet.

Fievel celebrated his 2 month birthday last week and he has about doubled in size. He's the fastest thing on four legs, and if he gets away from you his favorite game is "try and get me out from behind the bookshelves". He is the only one who likes that game.

So that is the origin story of Fievel. I'm not sure, other than Hero of all that is Cute, what Fievel's legendary destiny is, but I'm very glad that the boyfriend and I are his Ma and Pa Kent. (Superman reference, if you missed that one)

Born in the dirty tunnels of the LA Subway system, lost from his family, alone, dirty and hopeless. It was looking dire until he was rescued by a kind soul and her handsome boyfriend. From the streets to the penthouse. This, is the story of Fievel: A Mouse Among Mice. Hero to the cute underdog, savior to all the cute fluffy things. Coming to a theater near you Summer 2012.