—image credit artist/photographer via Google

REALITY - ABSURDIST FICTION - NOVELLA

______________

Written in first-person. The major character is a student at U of T ....

______________

Rodney the Rat Reappears

** BOOK II **

______________

WRITTEN BY

Gregory Miller Troy

(19 - 22)

CHAPTER ONE

_______________________

INTRODUCING

RODNEY THE RAT

 every language, from Indo-European to Sino-Tibetan. He also knows everyone, Rodney does. Kings and queens and high falutin’ politicians and clever inventors and even penniless street bums. Ol’ Rodney knows everyone, high or low.

         But what always astonished me the most about Rodney was the particular style of clothes he wore: black tuxedos, crisp white shirts, and black silk bow ties eternally tilted to the right. Rodney’s height was also something of a mystery to me—perhaps because of my poor vision. It always seemed to me that Rodney was slightly taller than whomever he was talking to, even me. Now you are undoubtedly wondering about his long tail—yes, his stylish rat tail—and just how people reacted when they saw it. The thing is, though—and this is very important to keep in mind—Rodney was much respected by his numerous friends and not one of them would notice a trivial thing such as that.

         I can honestly tell you that the very first time I saw Rodney was when I was a seventeen-year-old kid. I happened to be in the Toronto Pearson International Airport and waiting for my flight to Paris, France when I felt someone or something touch my right shoulder. Naturally I jumped. Who wouldn't? When I looked to my right I immediately saw that the toucher was, in fact, a classicaly-dressed rat. 

        But I soon learned he wasn't a rodent at all, not even close.

_______________________

I had no idea where Mississauga existed.

        I just didn't.

        The taxi driver did, though.

        After I tossed my heavy knapsack in the backseat of the taxi ...." ....

______________

ALL IMAGES FROM GOOGLE IMAGES, LINKS, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, UNSPLASH, FLICKR COMMONS,

ATLANTIC MAGAZINE, THE NEW YORKER,THE NEW YORK TIMES, PRINT PERFECT CLIP ART DELUXE (PPCAD - RF),

US NATIONAL ARCHIVE, THE MEDIUM (MEDIUM II), UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA ARCHIVE, TENOR, PUBLIC DOMAIN, GIPHY, INTERNET ARCHIVE, ECSU (ERINDALE COLLEGE STUDENT UNION), WORDPRESS, BLUEHOST, GOVERNMENT ARCHIVES, OLD BOOK ILLUSTRATION, AMERICAN MILITARY ARCHIVE, FREE STOCK PHOTOS, CANADIAN LEGION MAGAZINE, SMITHSONIAN, LEGAL AGREEMENTS,  PERSONAL OWNERSHIP, ONE.COM & TROY FAMILY FOUNDATION

______________

All Rights Reserved - See Legal Note