Ewww!!!!

I have never once, in all the time I've been in Dubai, seen a live rat. Yesterday while I was walking out of work at night in the dark, I noticed a little movement out of the corner of one eye on one side of the lawn. A closer look confirmed: a rat!! A BIG rat. The first thing I thought of was our little cats that run around the area and meow for food at lunchtime, and I thought, there is no way those cats could take out this rat. This rat would probably fight back and win.

THEN - another movement to the other side. Another rat! And then... another! As my eyes adjusted to the dark and I started looking at the lawn and the foliage instead of the sidewalk in front of me, I saw probably 7 or 8 different rats scurrying away into the underbrush. Icky icky ick ick ick!!!

Is this something new? Have they always been here? Have I been walking out to the parking lot alone at night in the dark all year long without noticing the vermin at my feet? Ick ick ick!! I told myself this must be a new phenomenon, and I must stick to the dead center of the path and move quickly so that they don't decide to run out and eat my toes for dinner. Iiiiiiiiiick!!!