Day 331

Confession: Back in bible college—while I was still couch hopping—I had a pet baby rat. I was lonely and he was at the pet store for next to nothing. I bought a little carrier and he went everywhere with me in my back pack.

In class, professors would notice me pulling off parts of my sandwich and passing it to my bag. They’d say nothing.

In between class I would go to the handicap bathroom and let Edgar run around. He learned how to come on command.

Soon people I didn’t know would approach me in the lounge and eagerly ask “Are you Edgar’s owner?” so they could play with him on the couch.

Eventually I got a small cage for free to go next to the floor mattress I was crashing on in my friend’s apartment. I got a job and my own housing and Edgar came with me. I went back to the petstore and bought his relative—Thomas.

People might dislike rats. But they brought joy to so many people. Edgar learned how to roll over. He knew to stay out of the kitchen. He knew his name. He was brilliant. And Thomas was a good friend.

They never lived anywhere else. And they weren’t the first or last rats to share life with me.

Sound of the day: Harry Nilsson – Best Friend https://youtu.be/_eiwpZS3Vqg?si=iOOWB0RmD2kqBnFS