A Ratty Tale

Took Noi for her booster jab yesterday evening. Drove up to the community centre at Holland Village. The parking is a bit restricted there, so she went off to do the necessary whilst I waited for a parking lot. My luck was in and I didn't wait too long - just as her luck was in, and she was duly boostered on arrival at the centre. But, of course, she then had to wait for half an hour to check there were no side effects and whilst she was hanging on there I popped to the food court for a cuppa.

I didn't want to sit too long though since sitting around anywhere is guaranteed to make the muscle around my left hip cranky if I do so. I need to stand with great care after sitting and walk very slowly for a good five minutes to avoid unpleasantly painful spasms. So that's what I did, going to stand in the corridor between the food centre and where I had parked. And that was where the encounter took place.

There was a messy heap of the usual food centre rubbish at the back of the shop and I was standing admiring it and generally minding my own business when a rat popped out. Well, not exactly 'popped' since it emerged fairly slowly then continued to move at a gentle but definite pace in my direction - looking me squarely in the eye. I thought briefly of the queer sardonic rat of Isaac Rosenberg's fine poem, but then decided that this fellow was not so much sardonic as curious, and that I was the object of its exploratory curiosity. It struck me that it would be a good idea to move to indicate that I wasn't an edible object but a potential threat. I'm happy to say I didn't panic - though it was a close-run thing - and on my moving one step towards the rodent it slunk back whence it came. 'Slunk' is a pretty good word here, except it suggests a sense of guilt and, to be honest, the rat didn't look guilty. It looked like it owned the place. And I suppose it did, really. I was the intruder on its territory.

Two thoughts about the encounter: 1) As far as I'm aware the only times I've seen rats live have all been on these shores - don't think I ever saw one back in the UK; 2) Whilst I admit to feeling the usual disgust about the creatures, I'm sort of happy to share space with a species that's probably a lot less destructive than our own when you think about it. And one further point: Noi is very well post-booster, with just an achy arm and very mild fever. So do get yours, Gentle Reader, if anyone makes the offer.