Leafhatred
6-30-05, 4:35 PM
A guy is visiting downtown Vancouver. He walks into a small rather mysterious looking antique store and is drawn to the golden figurines on display. He finds one of a golden rat particularly alluring. He brings it to the counter and asks the shopkeeper how much it costs.
"$25 for the magical golden rat, responds the man behind the counter and $1,000 for the story that's behind it."
"I'll just take this golden rat for now," replies the customer. He pays and puts the golden rat in his pocket. As he leaves the store he gets no further than half a block when he notices a pair of live rats following him. He quickens his pace but before he gets to the corner, he looks back and is startled to see about five more rats following closely behind. He breaks into a trot but as he runs faster, more and more rats come out of nowhere and now he has a whole herd following him.
Getting desperate and really scared, the guy runs as fast as he can towards the harbor. As he almost gets to the waterfront he looks back one more time to witness the terrifying sight of at least a couple of thousand rats racing towards him. He thinks of diving into the water but comes to a big tree and climbs to the highest branch. He dreadfully discovers that the rats can climb and are rapidly swarming up the tree. Finally he takes the golden rat out of his pocket and throws it into the harbor. The rats instantly reverse their direction and head towards the pier. Every last one of them jumps off the pier and into the water. They all drown.
As the guy recovers and is finally satisfied he's now safe, he climbs down and heads back to the store.
"Ahh, says the shopkeeper I thought your curiosity would bring you back, if you survived, that is. So do you now wish to pay for the entire story behind the magical golden rat?"
"No thanks says the guy. I was just wondering if you had a magical golden figurine of a leaf fan."
http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/images/dipoelat.jpg
"$25 for the magical golden rat, responds the man behind the counter and $1,000 for the story that's behind it."
"I'll just take this golden rat for now," replies the customer. He pays and puts the golden rat in his pocket. As he leaves the store he gets no further than half a block when he notices a pair of live rats following him. He quickens his pace but before he gets to the corner, he looks back and is startled to see about five more rats following closely behind. He breaks into a trot but as he runs faster, more and more rats come out of nowhere and now he has a whole herd following him.
Getting desperate and really scared, the guy runs as fast as he can towards the harbor. As he almost gets to the waterfront he looks back one more time to witness the terrifying sight of at least a couple of thousand rats racing towards him. He thinks of diving into the water but comes to a big tree and climbs to the highest branch. He dreadfully discovers that the rats can climb and are rapidly swarming up the tree. Finally he takes the golden rat out of his pocket and throws it into the harbor. The rats instantly reverse their direction and head towards the pier. Every last one of them jumps off the pier and into the water. They all drown.
As the guy recovers and is finally satisfied he's now safe, he climbs down and heads back to the store.
"Ahh, says the shopkeeper I thought your curiosity would bring you back, if you survived, that is. So do you now wish to pay for the entire story behind the magical golden rat?"
"No thanks says the guy. I was just wondering if you had a magical golden figurine of a leaf fan."
http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/images/dipoelat.jpg