Eeek!

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.