[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FLx0FZga98&w=798&h=490]

As I was walking in the streets downtown enjoying the peacefulness of a rainy day, this big rat clumsily ran out of the bushes and stopped right in front of me. Now, it’s not often that you encounter a rat, so I got curious and decided to take a moment to watch him. Normally, I would take them in my hands to freak my friends out (yeah I know about the risks, shut up), but I could tell this one wasn’t well: he could barely summon the necessary coordination to move around without falling on his back and he didn’t even bother to run away from me. As he was puffing and wobbling, I realized he was fatally ill or wounded – life was leaving his eyes and body, and it was only a matter of minutes before his end would come.

At first, a great sentiment of pity took a hold of me, like the one most of you are feeling right now after having watched the video. I wanted to help him, but there was nothing I could do. But then I took a good look at him. Although he had obviously and absolutely no chance of survival, he was very resilient and he was still trying. That resonated with me. It got me thinking: who am I pitying? What kind of rat was he?

He was not ordinary. I had never seen one like him: he had huge feet with large claws that looked unreal, the kind you would see in a video game. I think by the way he fought for his life, he must have been a proud rat at one point. The kind of rat who went after what he wanted, the breed who dies with few regrets and a lot of people at his funeral.

A ladies man

Rats have families and kids just like humans, but this one had definitely many conquests. When the sun went down, he must have went out, well groomed and well licked, to pick up some of the finest rodent bitches the city sewers had to offer. The nightlife here is one of the best in the world, but the coquetry and sensual manners of the damsels could never get his love and commitment, and broken a lot of hearts he has. Yeah, he loved sex, and he had it doggy style all his life because that’s how rats do it.

Usually, this kind of breed has about 10 babies, but that specimen must have had a hundred in many different neighborhoods. I bet you he was the kind to sweet talk the dams and have them squeeze a few cuckolded pups out of their uteruses right before their husband came back from work. He was honest though; he never needed to say that he loved them or gave them false hope to get sexual favors. He conquered them solely with the sheer strength of his superior seductive abilities, and they felt helpless in the grip of his superior sexual power.

Fighting in the hood

Rats form gangs to protect their families and food; they are very territorial and aggressive towards one another. I bet you that rat was the leader of his pack. He was the type to not let fear or feelings overcome him in the midst of the action. When crossing paths with rivals, he held his head high in a confrontational manner, sustaining the adrenaline and fear in his belly, being fully aware that his behavior could lead to fight and death at any given moment. Yet, he still stood his ground, for his clan and for his families. His courage inspired and motivated others, as they looked up to him to admire him and to learn from him. He was not afraid to share everything he knew with his peers, as his confidence and interest for the well- being of his community as a whole greatly overshadowed his worry about being dethroned one day.

The end

When he realized his time had come, his brain made him review his entire life in a flash. At this crucial moment of your existence, the ultimate worst thing that can happen to you is to come to the realization that you haven’t done what you wanted to do with yourself. You would then have regrets and be the prisoner of the worst feeling you have ever experienced: the one that comes when you stubbornly refuse to accept your inevitable death. The level of misery, frustration and fear that then takes a hold of you will be your biggest punishment.

But it wasn’t the case for this rat. He lived his life fully by defying fear and death on a daily basis, accomplishing his most daring goals. He was proud of himself and achieved most of what he desired, with no major remorse and little guilt, leaving a vast legacy behind him. He was ready to go peacefully and pass the torch to his offspring in the hope they will be greater than him one day.