Bogey and Me

Now we’ve done it. We’ve provided room service to the rat. The first day, I got the little guy to come right to me to get his food. Sure, he’d scamper back to his hole in the brush to eat it, but at least he came out to us.

The problem was when we showed up for lunch. Who in his right mind would come out of a cozy, dark, cool place for broiling temperatures and hot sun?

But then again, you might say, who in his right mind would feed a rat in the first place? But I digress . . .

So we did what any self-respecting crazy ladies would do – – we dropped the food within sniffing distance from his hole.

Now our twice daily feedings are not producing the brave Bogey we once knew.

And how did we get the name Bogey? All because of my poor memory.

“What shall we call him?” I asked Hilde the first day we met him.
“I hardly think we should name him. What if . . .” she trailed off.
“What if what?” I asked.
“What if, you know . . . something happens to him?” she asked.
“We probably won’t know. If we’re going to take care of him he needs a name,” I said.
My love of old movies instinctively came to play.
“You dirty rat,” the famous screen legend’s voice replayed in my mind.
“Let’s call him Bogey! The actor who said, “You dirty rat!” I said.
Hilde was already agreeing by the time I realized is wasn’t Humphrey Bogart but James Cagney who said that immortal line.
Hmm. Big problem. Cagney was NOT a cute name.
So Bogey it was.

Tonight is the big night.
Why?
We’ve called in the experts.
After contacting Gary Bogue at the Contra Costa Times, he put me in touch he knew a guy who knew a guy . . . .
“Psst! Over here! Me! The shady guy with the raincoat in the dark alley!”
And after a few email attempts and phone calls, I found someone associated with a rat rescue group. That’s right. There IS such a thing.
She’s coming tonight and bringing a cage.
Shall we take bets to see if Bogey comes out of his hole?
This morning we didn’t feed him very much to make sure he’ll be hungry.

Writing Exercise: 1. So you’re having writing difficulties with the hardest part of your story? Call for help! Show a writing expert or trusted advisor and see what they have to say. Sometimes listening and acting on good advice can help solve your problems. Other times listening to your OWN instinct is what will be right for you. 2. Brainstorm possible solutions. 3. Write your way out of this problem, trying some of those possiblities.