Were you one of the millions who stopped work to watch a starving rat drag pizza onto the subway?

Have you ever had a rat in your closet? I had one in my linen closet last winter. The closet was in my bedroom and I woke up in the dark one night, alone and terrified by the sound of scratching from behind the closet door.

Last week millions of Americans watched our newest internet sensation “Pizza Rat”. Comedian Matt Little’s twenty-second video of a rat dragging a slice of pizza twice its size down subway steps took the world by storm. It produced:

• 2 million YouTube views
• A new plush rat toy with a felt pizza slice attached by velcro
• An official audit by state comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli questioning the transit authority’s trash can program

The simple elegance of Nick Schwart’s comment in USA Today said it all for me:

“The Internet simply could not handle the majesty of this video.”

I think most of us have rats of some kind stuffed into our closets, under our beds, in the back of our desk drawers. They are things we don’t want to deal with. A failed relationship, unpaid taxes, incomplete novels or paintings, traumas and hurts we thought would go away if we just looked away.

Most of the things we try to hide are visible to anyone who’s paying attention. Admittedly, you can fool a lot of people if you try hard enough and stay with it long enough. But why bother? Everybody has rats of some kind. Maybe when I admit mine it will make you feel comfortable admitting yours. At least we could share a good laugh about the ridiculous burden of a gigantic pizza slice twice our size.

I was afraid to use my closet because of the rat. I knew he was there, because when I passed it the next morning I caught the faint scent of rodent urine. Also, I peeked in once real quick and I saw rodent droppings on the floor. Still, weeks passed and I did nothing but wash the towels and sheets I was using so I wouldn’t have to get others from the linen closet. Finally, one spring day, I put on goggles and elbow-high plastic gloves and armed myself with a vacuum and Lysol and triple thick trash bags. I cleaned the closet floor and opened the doors to let in light and fresh air. From all appearances, the rat had not been there for a long time.

What about you? Did you think Pizza Rat was kind of funny and cute? Search for new york city pizza rat if you missed it.

Think about yourself and things you need to face, admit, and open to the sunshine and fresh air. Most people will understand, and you’ll either become an internet sensation or sleep better knowing your closet is clear.

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