Those who read Robert O’Brien’s book – or saw the movie of the same title – KNOW that Rats of Nimh are super-intelligent lab rats that escaped to wreck havoc on the world, much like an intellectual Willard.
What was left hanging in movie and book was exactly where the Rats of Nimh ultimately wound up.
Well, I’ll tell ya where they wound up. In my barn. AND in the wall between the bathroom and my computer desk (just so they could (a) reach the attic and (b) annoy me with the pitter patter of little feetz.)
No trap will catch ’em, only one kind of bar bait – the one located furthest from my house – will they touch, and the Rats of Nimh have a breeding cycle set to Overload: basically ya sees one rat, ya know 50 more were created last night and will emerge to conquer the world (our barn, specifically) in approximately two weeks.
What can be done in the face of super-intelligent rats intent on taking over the world? Why, fight fire with fire, of course.
Next time I was in the barn and observed the walls change color as the rats ran for the rafters when the barn door opened, I loudly remarked to myself that the rat population was lookin’ mighty fat and healthy – and just in time for pie season, too.
The scurrying noises halted and for a second complete silence reigned. I swear I heard a soft intake of breath similar to a low gasp.
The next day’s visit revealed nary a rat to be found – and the house attic and walls were abnormally quiet, too.
A day later I observed the fine folks at Ace Rat and Pest Control’s signature van pull up to our neighbor’s house.
Apparently rats had ‘come from nowhere, virtually overnight’.
No way was I gonna reveal my foolproof super-rat-banishing secret.
After all – my neighbor just might covet a piece of THAT pie…
