Return of the Rat

  Annie and her snake mapping out their rat catching plans.

  While this isn't really a return of the same rat (I killed him) I discovered that there is a rat in my basement.   How do I know this?  He threw a shovel at me yesterday.   Prompting me to scream and then run up the stairs and lock the door.   Not sure locking the door helped much, but it made me feel better.   So I am now afraid of going in the basement.   Sadly, my laundry is piled up down there waiting for me to finish washing it.
      So last night when Annie's dad dropped her off I asked if he would go in the basement to look for the rat while I rotate laundry.   Annie overhears this and immediately springs into action.  "I will protect you mama!   I have a snake!"   Annie, who had just been to the Zoo that day, learned that snakes eat rats.   Pulling a large pink and red snake from her tote bag she heads to the basement door.   "Lets go guys, I be first.  I have the snake."    Annie bravely charges down the stairs and starts looking in every corner for the rat.   The whole time I'm praying she doesn't find the rat.    finally finished we head up stairs and Annie says, "lock that door, I don't want him getting out.  I will try again in the morning."    Which she just did.  Annie insisted, "you go check your laundry and I will get the rat."  In two seconds she's at the basement door with her four foot long pink and red snake.     She is so convinced that her pink and red snake is really going to get the rat, I can't do anything but hope she never finds the rat, because he was big and not the least bit afraid of me.  I doubt a little girl and her pink snake are going to frighten him.