Eeek!

[jethrien]

I was standing on the subway platform this morning, reading, when I heard a shriek from farther down the platform. I looked around - a woman was leaping backwards. Then I realized that there was a truly enormous rat that had just run between her legs and was headed straight for me. Of course, by the time I'd located said rat, it was already running headfirst into my shoes. I think he wanted to actually go under my heels, in the gap between the heel and the sole. There was some thrashing around, and Mr. Rat did manage to get around one foot and under the other before disappearing arond the corner. I'm wondering whether the little guy was just scared or actually rabid, since it seemed like pretty brazen behavior, even for a city rat. But at no point did he actually touch my skin - he only kinda bumped off the heel of my shoe (they're fairly high and sturdy heels, and the sides are fairly high, so there's not a lot of skin accessible when you're only two inches tall). So I'm not terribly concerned - I mean, it was startling at the time, but there isn't really any way that this could have lasting damage.

Still, I have to admit that I too let out quite the undignified shriek. I mean, rat. Very large rat. Literally trying to squirm under my feet.

Adrenaline is a great way to start a morning.

Comments

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

Augh! Ew.

[jeths-mom.livejournal.com]

yuck. I'm sure he was just scared. I've seen lots of small rodents on the tracks of the subway, but never on the platform. Good thing you're not really the hysterical rat-fearing type, or you'd have passed out and had the real health hazard of actually touching the platform surface. Worse than the rat, I think.

[jethrien.livejournal.com]

The weird thing is, he could have gone around me. There was a foot behind me and a couple feet in front of me that were totally clear. Instead, he made a beeline for the gap in my shoes.

[cubby-t-bear.livejournal.com]

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of mice and men?

Sorry. Couldn't resist ;-)

[lyriendel.livejournal.com]

Poor scared and confused rat.
That said, Ew!