Reginald the rat was on the sewer subway when he was approached by a good-looking rat with long whiskers. The rat scurried up to him and twitched his nose expectantly. Reginald looked up from his rat newspaper and smiled.
“Can I help you?” He asked the rat.
At Reginald’s look of indifference, the other rat frowned. “Don’t you know who I am?” He asked.
Reginald smoothed out a crease in his rat newspaper. “Haven’t the foggiest.”
The other rat’s frown deepened. “I’m the most famous rat in all of the sewers. I’m a millionaire businessman.” He held out his paw. “My name’s Remy.”
“Good for you,” said Reginald, and he reopened his rat newspaper, ignoring the rat’s outstretched paw.
Remy made a small annoyed sound and sat down next to Reginald. “I’m currently in the process of finding kitchen design ideas for my new business, and I’m asking strangers to see if they’re interested in contributing. It’s going to be a great initiative and every rat who makes a contribution is going to receive a share of profits.”
“I’m not interested,” Reginald said without looking up. He expected the other rat to go away, but Remy didn’t move. He only continued to sit next to Reginald, peering over his shoulder like he was reading the newspaper that Reginald was holding in his very own paws. It was exasperating. Finally, he glanced up, sighing.
“What is it, then?” Reginald asked. “You’re starting a kitchen renovations company? Melbourne sewers already have enough of those. I got my kitchen redone a few months ago and it looks great. I guarantee you can’t beat it.”
At these words, Remy’s eyes lit up and Reginald could see he had said the wrong thing. “I can definitely beat it,” Remy said. “Just give me a couple of hours in your kitchen and I’ll prove to you what I’m capable of. You’re going to love your new kitchen and you’re going to want to show everybody.”