Gunn's salute: Highland garage mourns 'Wee Dave' the mouse

That was until Wednesday March 6, when the men arrived for work, and were "devastated" by what they discovered.

"We found him lying on the path," recalled Michael. "He was passed. We were all in a state of shock. Absolutely gutted. We tried CPR, but to no avail. 

"We think it was natural causes. We are waiting on the toxicology. It was probably all the ginger nuts and custard creams.

"We are all pretty cut up. More so Duncan. Duncan adored that wee mouse. Duncan is the undertaker for Appin.

"We were out of stock of mouse coffins. We made him a wee coffin. It was a wee cardboard box the silicon came in. We taped it up. There were four strings. We all had a cord."

Any tourist in Appin that day would have witnessed the unusual spectacle of four grown men lowering a tiny cardboard coffin into a hole by the village post box.

"There was not a dry eye in the house," remembered Duncan. "We were genuinely fond of him. He would play around by your feet. Sometimes he got into the biscuits, but we didn’t mind. He was a wee character."

"We had a small but touching ceremony: a few words and a few tears," Michael explained. "What a sight to behold if you saw us with the strings. I was bubbling up.

"We got some daffodils and a wee rockery. We have made a gravestone out of a brake disk from a Ford Mondeo. It says: ’Dave The Mouse RIP’.

"Because it was short notice, it was a temporary stone. We are thinking lights - something a bit more extravagant. He deserves that. If I had my way, it would be the front end of a Cortina."

Since then, the mechanics have struggled to come to terms with their loss, wearing black armbands as a mark of respect, often causing confusion to customers. 

"We have a wee picture on the wall," Michael said. "It is a sad atmosphere. We are still talking about him. We are still chucking our scraps under the table. We do not want to replace him, but we are encouraging others to come."

A new mouse, christened "Wee Angus", was spotted under the table at lunchtime on Monday, nibbling on a Cadbury’s Flake. To bring a little comfort, a local crafter rallied round to knit an effigy of Dave.

The minister for Appin and Lismore, Rev. Dugald Cameron, told us: "I didn’t know Dave personally. However, I know that the guys at the garage loved him deeply, and he them. I have been there for those feeling his loss. There was a brief gathering this morning (March 11) at Dave’s memorial brake disc."

Citing Robert Burns’ poem To A Mouse, Rev Cameron continued: "As Burns highlighted, poor wee Dave did not know what was coming, for he lived in the moment. The garage folk made sure his immediate needs were catered for; daily meals, convivial conversation, and a warm place to sleep. They even ensured supplies were there to see him through the Christmas break when the garage was closed.

"Everyone in Appin is heartened by people caring for one of the least of God’s creatures. It makes everyone smile when so often the news is grim.

"There is an image from the Book of Isaiah that is apt, for it envisages a peaceable world where ’the wolf shall live with the lamb’. Gunn’s Garage gave us a wee glimpse of something special in their care for wee Dave. Now, Dave may find new friends in heaven, perhaps even a feline."

Undertaker Duncan is now considering pet funerals too, "from budgies to buffalo".

"Dave touched many in his short life," Michael concluded. "It is a shame it took his passing to recognise him for what he was. He deserved the respect and dignity of any citizen of Appin. The world needs to know about Dave."