[Chevy Phil]

>
>
>A man walked into a curio shop in Texas.
>Looking around at the exotica, he noticed a very life-like, life-size
>bronze
>statue of a rat. It had no price tag, but it looked so striking that he
>decided he must have it. He took it to the owner and asked "How much is the
>bronze rat?" "Twelve dollars for the rat, a hundred dollars if you bring it
>back, "said the owner. The man gave the shop owner twelve dollars. "I'll
>take the rat; and I won't be bringing it back." As he walked down the
>street
>carrying the bronze rat, he noticed that a few real rats had crawled out of
>alleys and sewers, and began following him down the street. This was a bit
>disconcerting, so he began to walk a little bit faster. Within a couple of
>blocks, the group of rats behind him grew to over a hundred, and they began
>squealing. He started to trot towards the Harbor. He took
>a nervous look
>around and saw that the rats numbered in the thousands, maybe in the
>millions, and they were all squealing and coming towards him faster and
>faster. Terrified, he ran to the edge of the water and threw the bronze rat
>as far out into the Harbor as he could. Amazingly, the millions of rats all
>jumped into the water after it, and were drowned. The man walked back to
>the
>curio shop. "Aha," said the owner, "You're bringing it back !" "Actually
>no," said the man. "I came back to see how much you want for that little
>bronze Mexican over there!"
>