Rat Humor

This morning, I listened to the news on KTLK-AM on my way to work. I heard the following alarming item: Northwestern University biomedical engineering professor Jeffrey Burgdorf has found that laughter in rats produces an insulin-like growth factor chemical that acts as an antidepressant and anxiety-reducer. He hopes to use this research to develop anti-depressant drugs in humans.

I mulled this over all the way to work. I didn't know that rats laughed. What kind of jokes do they like? Then it came to me. Remember, last summer when some rodent waited till the eggplants in our balcony garden were about two or three inches long, and then ate them down to the stems? I bet that was a real side-splitter in the local rat community. When you go to the attic for that briefcase you haven't used in years and find the leather corner gnawed away, just know that somewhere a bunch of rats are screaming with laughter, tears streaming down their pointy little faces as they nudge each other saying, "Did you see that look on her face? Haw, haw haw, haw HAW!"

I'm glad that their anxiety and depression is being reduced by this. Wait, what do rats have to get anxious and depressed about? Must be the rat race. Haw, haw.