The Year of Rat

Last week, my house was filled with lots of Thai spices and ingredients as mum was cooking for her friends so you can imagine the Thai aroma that not only invites our guests but well also house rats. People, these rats are well fed creatures. Dad went on describing it to my uncle,
“Willie, I tell you this kind of rat is this huge < - - - - - - - - - - - > and they are darker compared to homeless rats.”

So one morning last week, we woke up and found our dining table was in a mess. The rats had robbed the leftovers and left a plenty of food scattered around the table to boast “I was here.” This was not the first time that week. I bet they are thai mafia rats. Ganas. My parents went berserk and dad, being a typical Thai would not allow rats to share our food, he went off to buy rat’s glue to trap them.

Opening: Dad poured rat’s glue on a cardboard and carefully placed ikan bilis in the middle, making sure the glue only surrounds the ikan bilis, proudly he placed the trap below the dining table late at night.
Outcome: Next morning it was left untouched. The rats somehow KNEW it was a trap. Bugger.
Conclusion: Mission failed. Dad was embarrassed, mum was geram and warned me not to talk to the rats.

Days passed and it happened again, the rats are hungry and cekap. My parents are desperate and this time they modified their approach to tangkap the rats efficiently. This is how efficient they were – with the same fashion, with a bigger cardboard, they feast the rats with one cocktail sausage, leftover duck, peanut cookies, French loaf and sprinkle with ikan bilis and adding more glue around the food. And this extensive rats meal was cleverly placed on our dining table. What a wicked temptation to the rats with more selections.

I laughed when I saw that.

Mum: You know it is so difficult, each time I’m having breakfast, lunch or dinner I am obsessing over the rats, should I trap them with my own food? I don’t know what food they prefer.
Bee: This is the first time I see anyone doing this.
Dad: Can you guys keep quiet because those rats know when you talk about them and they won’t appear.
Bee: You guys are treating those rats like your own pets.