by Linda Zirion

Created on: October 29, 2008

As Luck Would Have It!

When my daughter was graduating from junior high school into high school, I asked her what she wanted for a graduation present. To my horror the only thing she wanted was a live "BLACK RAT!" Now she just popped out the request without even blinking! That was my clue that she had wanted this for a very long time as she always thought about everything before replying.

The next morning, bright and early, I ventured off to town to buy the creature. Now that is a 100 mile round trip from my house giving me 50 miles to think about the purchase I was about to make. After going to all three pet stores in town and only finding white rats, I ventured another 35 miles to a neighboring town to resume the hunt for a black rat. I only mention the miles I drove that day so that you all will know how sincere I was in trying to fill this request. It seemed to be the season for white rats as there where no black rats to be found. As I pondered the problem, my daughter being very specific and I not wanting to disappoint, decided my only course of action. I would have to buy the white rat.

On my long drive home I had time to think about this decision and decided I may have made a mistake. I did the only thing I could do to correct the problem. Stopping at a drug store along the way I bought a bottle of black dye - problem solved! Stopping at my mother's house so that I could correct the problem before returning home we set about dying the small creature. Now I don't know if the problem is in the hair that rats have or the environmentally friendly dye that I bought however the rat came out bright easter egg blue!

I had to get home to meet with some contractors on a problem with my house so blue rat in tow I returned home. Now I knew my daughter was going to be furious with me, because of animal cruelty and such, so I was extremely worried! All of us arriving at the home at almost the same time, first me and the blue rat, and then together the contractors and my daughter, I really had no time to prepare for what was coming. I knew I didn't want a lecture from my daughter in front of strangers so the lies began! As the two contractors and my daughter walked into the living room the first thing noticed was the blue rat! I of course was being overly apologetic to my daughter (out of guilt) explaining that there were no black rats to be found. As all three of them stood staring at this wondrous blue creature my daughter pronounced how much she loved it! The contractors

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