Blue summer sky, sun flooded
our back yard and overweight
bluebottles circled the rubbish bin;
where a fat rat sat and cleaned its
face with dainty fingers.
Fascinated I walked up to the rodent
and patted it on its head.
The rat smiled and sank its big front
teeth into my palm.
Mother was hysterical all the way
to the hospital. ‘It didn’t mean any
harm, mother, ’cause it smiled”.
“You little idiot” she said, but gave
me a hug.