One night I saw a rat!!
Short story
Answers
One of the great pleasures of life is the afternoon siesta. In Mexico and other Latin American countries, it has been perfected to a fine art. In warm countries like ours, it is almost a necessity, especially for the farmer toiling in his fields from daybreak to noon. An afternoon nap under a peepal tree or in the shade of a mighty banyan does wonders for body and soul.
I take my siesta on the same bed that I sleep upon at night, but if I am travelling, I have no difficulty in taking a nap on a plane or in a bus or in a railway waiting room, although I must admit that it’s been many years since I travelled by train. Under a tree sounds romantic, but the last time I tried sleeping under a friendly horse-chestnut tree, I was woken by chestnuts falling on my head.
Bed is best, especially on a cold winter’s day in the hills. And at night, a hot water bottle helps. Given a warm bed, I sleep like a baby. But like a baby, I am inclined to wake up at midnight or at one in the morning, feeling rather hungry. And for this purpose, I keep a bar of chocolate on my bedside table.
There’s nothing like a chunk of chocolate in the middle of the night. It helps me feel that all’s right with the world, and I fall asleep again to dream of cricket bats made of chocolate and rainbows made of sugar candy. You must try it sometime, those of you who have difficulty in sleeping. But a few nights ago, I woke up prematurely to hear something nibbling away on my bedside table. Katr-katr, katr-katr, came the ominous sound. I switched on the bedside lamp, and there sat a fat rat, nibbling away at my chocolate!