Rat-tastic

Yesterday I was toodling around town. ("Toodling" is Pennsylvanian for "riding around with no particularly hurry"- my Grandma's phrase.) So, toodling I was in downtown Wheaton when I saw a festive looking blow up figurine up ahead. You know the kind that used car salesman put in their lots to attract buyers- large gorillas and such? Well, that's what I saw.

I'm not known for great eyesight, so you can imagine my surprise when I saw what the figure actually was- a rat. And not just any rat, either- they made it with scary yellow teeth and, if memory serves, red eyes. It was meant to be ugly and downright scary. It was about 10-15 feet tall. My daughter might cry at the sight of it if she was a year younger.

These twin rat figurines (did I mention there were two?) sat in front of a rather nice looking apartment complex. Using my spidey sense, I determined that rats would probably deter future renters from taking up residence there. I used my noggin and figured out that the purveyors of these rats must be trying to say something. (Come on, Emily, get to the point.) It was a strike, folks. A strike.

Why do I bring this up? Because up until a week ago, I hadn't thought about rats but once a decade when NY city rat levels spike and it makes national news. I simply don't think about them. But then we got this PACK-RAT pod in our yard (which I affectionately call the "rat".) And NOW these two rat goblins are in my mind.

There is no moral to this story, but there is a point, friends. You see, up until a week ago, you probably weren't thinking about rats either. ;)