Rat

[summer_jackel]

So background: I work in the middle of downtown Santa Rosa...a nice bit of a pretty clean, mellow, smallish city. My office faces the "town square/park" kind of place, and I park my car in the mall in front of Sears and walk the few blocks in when I arrive in the morning.

This morning, I was a bit surprised to see a rat running quickly across the parking lot, into one of the landscaped islands in the middle. Surprised because you don't usually see rats in the open...it's in their nature to keep to well-traveled, hidden routes...or, rats being crepuscular critters, by day. Not surprised at her existence, of course. Because rats, really, are everywhere. I've even glimpsed 'em in Santa Rosa before. Not at the mall 'til now, though.

She was large but slender, her fur a pleasant honey-brown in hue, with a very long, dark tail. A pretty rat. What? Our urban coyotes have to eat something, after all.

Comments

[martes.livejournal.com]

I've seen rats in the weirdest places, including a busy road in broad daylight, and running around in the middle of a drug store (umm, yuck)

Did you get the reminder email? (want to make sure I have your addy correct.)

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

yay rats! That drugstore sighting has to take the cake for seeing them in odd places. Ewww. ;)

Yes, I got the email, thank you. I am working on the painting. I'll get ya a sketch soon.

[agoutirex.livejournal.com]

Rats generally come out in the daytime if there are too many to all get their business done at night

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

hehehehehe....
it's true: you see one, and you know that there are many more you are NOT seeing.

[ladyringo.livejournal.com]

Random side note.. I will be going through Santa Rosa at the end of August on my way to Humboldt and stopping in Forestville to see my mom. :)

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

cool! Maybe if the days line up we could get lunch or something. I'm pretty tied up for the end of August, but maybe.

[ladyringo.livejournal.com]

Ill be in your area on the 24 and when I am driving home on the 28th. Either of those days okay for you? my cell number is 8 zero 5 six 5 1 four 4 nine 8. :)

[archteryx.livejournal.com]

Well, they're wildlife. I sort of think of them as the mammalian equivalent of starlings; ubiquitous, unloved, sometimes obnoxious, but interesting to watch.

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

I find them interesting. Urban wildlife is neat. :) I take a perverse pleasure in them, knowing that they bother so many people, too.

[archteryx.livejournal.com]

Heh. I assume you've seen Ratatouille? The whole *movie* was based on how much rats bother people. :>

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

yep. Loved it.