A Day in the Life of Ron the Rat
A sliver of afternoon light managed to squeeze its way through a small crack in the brick wall. There wasn't much space in this alley, but it was enough for a rat. It was enough for Ron the Rat.
It was a particularly breezy day, one that most rats would want to spend capering in open fields where encountering danger was less common than finding a full slice of cheese. Yet this copper-colored rat with scraggly fur had just woken up from a lazy slumber. He had dreamt the most wonderful dream, the kind that sticks in your mind for weeks on end. He was on his way to the junkyard for the largest, most luxurious meal he would ever have, complete with leftover Thanksgiving dinners and full milk cartons just a day passed the expiration date. It was a world without vicious pigeons, hungry mutts, and tricky rat poisons. As far as Ron was concerned, those were the only true evils in the world.
But it was just a dream, dammit. Ron still had to find a way to deal with those problems. People didn't want him around. In their mind, he would always be the disease-infested creature that horror movies are made of. He would have to battle unjust prejudice against rodents like him. It didn't matter how often he bathed in a puddle of rain or how many times he resisted biting some lame human in the leg; society would never let Ron the Rat live in peace.
Rather discouraged, Ron set off into the crowded city for another day of rummaging and scurrying. His schedule was always busy, as there was always more rummaging and scurrying that needed to be done.
His tiny legs pumping frantically, Ron the Rat dashed between the feet of all types of people. He saw everything from fancy dragon hide boots, clearly the most fashionable at the moment, to grungy trainers that desperately, though silently, begged to be thrown away. And even though Ron made this journey a million times, he always found himself fascinated with the variety of the Mundus Magnus--the Bigger World.
As Ron scrambled up hastily over yet another trash pile--run, leap, and land!--the Mundus Magnus began to reveal itself like a rising sun over the cardboard boxes and corroding scrap metal. It was a glorious sight, being able to experience what is often no more than a childhood fairy tale for other less fortunate rats. Ron knew he should be grateful. He was able to see the bright city lights that received anyone without question; the open sky, painted a pale, mystical blue at times and a fiery, passionate orange at others. He was able to smell the sweet scents from the bakeries and the intriguing aromas from the bistros. In the store windows, Ron caught a glimpse of shiny glass pieces of different shapes arranged on a checkered board; he couldn't help wonder what they could possibly be. From the edge of the roads, he heard laughter and chatter, but Ron didn't think of them as "humans." They were simply friends, family, souls.
Ron decided that the world wasn't all bad. There might be pigeons and mutts and poisons lurking around every corner, but if he never took the chance to roam outside his usual alley, think of what fiery canvases and captivating scents he would miss. Forget the terrible world out there for a second and you might just be able to realize what beauty there is.
So Ron the Rat continued. He stepped off the trash pile and ran into the city. The sun had finally completed its journey toward the South, so the sky was a magnificent display of midnight blue. It would be a couple more hours before the stray cats and garbage trucks would find their way back to threaten innocent rodents. Ron refused to return to his alley-haven any earlier.
By Safire
(September 2003)
