Rats In the Belfry?

Today Colleen, one of our church preschool teachers, asked me if I had put out any rat poison lately. When I said, "Yes," she told me a story of remarkable personal courage.

Yesterday afternoon, while looking out on the decking of the lanai behind her classroom, she saw a large rat, a foot long from nose to tail, sitting and drinking from some standing rainwater. Sensing that there was something not quite right with the rat she grabbed a large glass jar, walked quietly up behind the rat and scooped it into the jar...all but the tail that still stuck out, wriggling against her arm. Once in the jar the rat became more active, thrashing about and giving her chicken skin all over (that's "goose bumps" for you mainland types). After shoving in the tail and securing the lid she rushed across the school to the church office where she gave it over to Roger for disposal.

She says she had trouble sleeping last night because any thought of that rat gave her the creeps. She also added that, since yesterday, she has been washing her hands far more often than usual.

I'm not sure, but I sincerely doubt that "rat catcher" is in Colleen's job description. In any case I am proud of her. She told me she did it only because of the children. She did not want that rat to get away. It appears that "courage" does indeed "rise with danger." In her own small way she acted selflessly and heroically. If it had been "Fear Factor" she would have won the day.