I'd like to thank all the mouse ball cleaning experts for the advice. I found a big glob of lint on one of the rollers - and now it works perfectly. I need to find someone to clean this desk once in awhile. One of the responses reminded me of a Tonight Show with Johnny Carson many moons ago. He had as a guest the wife of Arnie Palmer, who plugging a charity, I think, and......she became the first and only person to ever walk off of his show in a huff, when he asked her, "Does Arnie let you wash his balls?" Happy Holidays!! BBA