Rats!

I am weary about rats.  When I was reading the Harry Potter series repeatedly from ages 10-24, I gave rats a chance when I came to love Ron's pet rat "Scabbers".  After book 3, I decided that I could never give rats the benefit of the doubt again.  In Baltimore, almost everyone who lives in a row-home has a back alley.  We are no exception.  Our back alley is cursed though.  Every time the word "rat" is uttered when present in the alley, a rat will appear.  I have now seen 7 rats.  They are so terrifying.  I am currently reading a book about Baltimore called, "The Charm City" and the author pleads his case about why people started moving here.  His number 2 reason what that although rats were run rampantly in the streets, most did not have rabies.  This my friends is how I cope.