-^-for posterity-^-

rats are furry creatures that live in dark places and who scavenge for food. they carry disease and are known the world over as disgusting rodents. i never did like rats and the bigger they are the more i’m repulsed.

tonight we were joined by a man from hong kong who is here to bring some information technology to some farmers. he’s working on setting up an internet based tourism industry. he works for the un and is quite smart. we asked if he would like to go out to eat and he happily said yes.

we went to one of our favorite restaurants. it stretches out over the mekong and the sun sets behind a small island. all the dust in the air creates a spectacular show. the river life continues to teem along and the houses on either side of the restaurant wash clothes or clean dishes. kites can be seen in the distance.

we asked our friend what he would like to eat and he made a few comments about vietnamese restaurants in hong kong. he said they always serve the same dishes and that they are all bland and nothing like mekong delta food. we asked again what he wanted and he said, “field rat.”

we sat for a moment in awkward silence and i began to look for it on the menu. i didn’t know the word for field rat but recognized most of the other dishes. we resorted to drawing a picture of it after i had finished my rat impression (two fingers up to my teeth, squinty eyes and clicking of the tongue)

she understood the picture (complete with fangs and spiky hair) and said they didn’t have any. we looked dejected (well, i feigned dejection but sighed with relief). she did come back and said that they could get some rat if we wanted. i was translating for the table and relayed the news. our hong kong friend said that we should order it.

it came as the final course to our meal. there were three rats lined up on a plate resting on a leafy bed of lettuce and tomatoes. they had no heads but you could tell where they should have been. they had no tail but you could imagine it sliding off of the plate like a long strand of disease ridden spaghetti. they looked tanned and covered in herbs.

i’m never one to turn down something. i picked up the hind section of the rat and put it in my mouth as is the custom. i gnawed it around a bit (excuse the pun) and spit out the bones. the hindquarter was surprisingly good. the skin was moist and a bit greasy but not as greasy as duck skin. the flesh was very flexible and flaked off of the bone. the herbs gave it a wonderful taste and there was no hair to be found. the bones were also more sturdy than fish bones and less numerous. it turned out to be a hit.

i ate one rat whole and the back quarter of a second rat. the middle section is the worst. they leave all the organs attached to the ribcage and spine area and you’re forced to pick around them. there isn’t too much meat on the ribs but you can gnaw on them a bit (there’s that word again). the front section is also interesting. it is much like the back section except you end up with two small shoulder blades in your mouth. they are thin but sturdy and do not break.

we walked home, our belly full of three dead half-digested rats and enjoyed the cooler night air. we actually saw a rat run across the sidewalk. it scurried along looking much too big for its legs and much too disgusting for its fur. its tail snaked behind it and hid when it rested in a pile of garbage. my normal reaction was subdued and my disgust turned to salivation. rat is wonderful. you all should try it.