CHESTER

by Mary D. Jarman Karr

Chester may be large
he may be fat.
But he sure is
my favorite rat.

He loves my shoulder.
He's so at ease.
Everywhere I go
he's sure to please.

Then at night
when I lay to rest,
He begins his job
of being a pest.

Go to sleep I say.
Go to sleep right now.
But like that rat
he takes a bow!

He continues to play
he continues to romp.
Until I get up
and then I stomp.

He isn't scared.
He doesn't hide.
He climbs the cage
with his eyes open wide.

He's hard to resist,
and hard to ignore.
I reach in to pet him
as he stretches for more.

I love my Chester,
even when he's loud.
For he is my large rattie.
He makes me so proud.

Photos of Chester, the Rat

	Here is Chester, shortly after we got him. He was about 6-7 weeks old. He weighed in at about 2 oz.
Here is Chester in November 2002, one month later. His fur is getting to be rougher and there is some white mixing in with it. However, he looks like he is a hooded rat in that his head and a strip down his back is blacker with no white in it. He almost weighs 1 pound.
	Chester is looking for something.
Chester smelling the flowers and Cedric is having nothing to do with them.

Last Updated - March 2, 2003