Today I took my little ratty Gustav to the pet store today, because he tends to be a little more shy around strangers and he really needed to get out and see how much the world loves him.

At first he hid in hood and just occasionally poked his head out. Well, I little boy saw him and asked if he could pet him. I held Gus in my hands and the little boy gave him a gentle little head scratch and delighted in how Gustav's whiskers tickled. After that Gus realized that all these people could be giving him head scratches. He was just basking in all the attention.

One of the employees called him a very handsome rat, and that he reminded her or one of her late rats.

All the way home he was bruxing loudly and his eyes were boggling a lot as he sat in my lap.

I think we've broken his shy streak.