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TEXT: H.P. Lovecraft's "The Rats in the Walls"

RATS: Edgar Bosco Puddin Penelope & Priscilla Manny & Moe

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BOSCO, the brown favorite

Bosco likes to chew on almonds.
Bosco likes to chew on anything.
Bosco likes to chew.

Rats of various sizes and dispositions lived together in their glass cage at the pet store. Some were to be adopted to other humans like myself, others were destined to become snake food, an all-in-one-bite Snake McNugget. Colorwise, the choices were limited to all white rats or all brown rats. Most rested huddled together on top of one another. But, one particular all brown rat caught my attention. He was jumping around, bounding over other rats, climbing the glass walls, burrowing under the paper litter. Of all the rats, he appeared the most energetic as well as curious rat. Preferring a rat with spunk, I chose him as my second rat.

The twentysomething pet store clerk reluctantly opened the cage door and prepared himself to enter the danger zone. I could tell he was hesitant and fearful. He would rather wrestle snakes than fetch a rat. So, I told him I would pick up the rat myself.

After he warned me the rat might bite, I assured him I was familiar with rats and would have no problems.

My chosen rat saw me coming. At least, he saw my big hand coming straight at him. As he backed into the corner, I spread my hand to cover the distance from the back wall to the sidewall. Fear filled his little eyes. I could see it.

As my fingers began to circle the little brown rat, he disappeared from my sight and was swallowed up in my big hand. I made contact and began to pull him towards me, out of the cage. Then, he bit me. His teeth had chosen the left side of my right index finger at the outer knuckle for his attack.

Startled, I pulled my hand quickly out of the cage. The rat came along with me, dangling from my hand, but once we were outside of the cage, the rat dropped to the floor and scrambled behind some immense bags of dog food.

I looked at my finger. The rat's teeth didn't break the skin or leave a mark. The sharp pain I received from my finger disappeared as quickly as the rat.

By this time, the clerk was searching behind the bags of dog food for any trace of the rat. I looked into the space between some bags and could see little but darkness. The clerk reached for a convenient flashlight, turned it on, and started scanning the area for the rat, much like the search lamps in a WWII prison camp.

I think we both saw the tail at the same time. But, the clerk was closer. I could see the fear reappear in the clerk's face. Preparing himself, he drew a breath. He was about to pick up a rat- a rat who is known to have bitten a human. Strange, how a pet store clerk can be so afraid of a clean, little rat, yet be so comfortable filling a paper bag with ugly crickets.

Leaning over, he did what is the #1 thing NOT to do with a rat- he picked it up by the tail. Quickly, I cupped the dangling rat in my hands, rescuing him from the pain. The pet store clerk released his tail. The rat didn't bite me again. Till this day, he hasn't bit me again.

Bosco sits on my shoulder while I work at the computer or watch TV. When I enter the room, he stands to greet me even if I'm not intending to go near him. I can tell he looks forward to spending time with me daily. He's my little friend.