Killing the Rat

OK, I gave it the worst title to get your attention. The story plays out better than it seems.

We lived in Beverly, Massachusetts from 1989 until1994. We lived in a wonderful 1917 house that looked out on a park, playground and beach. We actually looked out at the water, except for the fact that there was a street in front of our house, so we had to cross the street to get to the beach.

Our house was both a year round home and our place at the beach without having to have two properties.

One day, early in our tenure there in Beverly, I went to the garage to get something and I heard a bad noise! I didn’t know what it was, but it didn’t make me happy. In a large trash can there was a large water rat! He was stuck at the bottom of the can and was running around trying to find a way out.

I was dumbstruck, and had no answer to solve his problem or mine! I wanted him dead (or gone)!

I thought about all the logical answers to this never before experienced problem, which included calling an exterminator, but I than thought that it would cost a bunch of money to exterminate the rat, and I should be able to do this myself!

I looked around the garage for a sharp instrument of death, and found some sort of gardening thing with a long handle and a sharp point. If I hit the mark, he would be dead. If I missed, he would climb up and attack me! I could end up with rabies, and be scared to death besides! This was not a smart move.

I thought and I thought what should I do?

The answer was as clear as the nose on my face (and the rats nose as well).

I kicked over the can, the rat ran away, and I didn’t have the smell of death clinging to me…….