Ratted Out

February 2008

It was the only mild day of the year so far and so I tottered along though the park by the underground station. A cheeky magpie plucked a crust from the waste bin close by and carried it off onto the grass. However, just as it was starting to devour this prize, a furry figure darted from beneath the bushes and made a bee-line for bird and crust. Bold as brass in the mid of the day a brown rat squared up to the magpie which fluttered a few feet away, thinking this would deter the rodent. But the rat simply redoubled its effort, spinning round to dive for the food. The magpie was forced to leave the scene altogether. I have never seen anything like it before, what a shock ! What an agressive rat ! I wonder if other readers have seen such a sight when strolling ?

The Spinster of this Parish