# Definition of dumb: pet dies, and I take it out on my boss. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 20, 2002, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-dumb-pet-dies-and-i-take-it-out-on-my-boss/115027 "2002-06-20T06:50:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-dumb-pet-dies-and-i-take-it-out-on-my-boss/115027/1 "2002-06-20T06:50:31Z")
Okay, a few days ago, my pet albino rat started getting sick, and I mean _really_ sick. I didn’t think she’d live through last night. Her fur was on end, she was breathing in wheezing gasps, and kapt turning her head sideways. So today I decided to put her out of her suffering. On my lunch hour I called vet clinics around town, and found one near where I live that would do the deed and dispose of the body for $10. So I took her there, but then they said a doctor wouldn’t be available for another hour. My lunch hour was already over, so I had to go back to work, leaving my sick pet who is frightened by strange people and places to die alone surrounded by strange people in a strange place. Then I went back to work and found a mistake in a piece of my work put there by one of my coworkers. I brought it to my bitch of a boss, and then, for reasosn I can’t explain, I did something I swore once that I would never do. I _argued_ with her. (Anyone who knows my boss knows what a big no-no and lost cause THAT is.) Anyway, arguing with her accomplished nothing, like I knew it would deep down. Now I’m sitting here typing while my other rat sort of shuffles around the apartment. She lived her whole life with the albino, and it’s obvious she feels something is wrong. What a shitty day. ---
**Author:** ![Lesath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/df788c/32.png) [@Lesath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lesath)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-dumb-pet-dies-and-i-take-it-out-on-my-boss/115027/2 "2002-06-20T07:09:09Z")
I’m really sorry about your pet rat. I know what wonderful companions they make, and it must have been ultra depressing to leave her alone there. (Hell, I started crying when you wrote about it.) I hope the boss understands and I hope your other rattie won’t be lonely. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-dumb-pet-dies-and-i-take-it-out-on-my-boss/115027/3 "2002-06-20T16:10:48Z")
I’m sorry about your rat, Lizard. I’m also sorry your day is so crappy. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-dumb-pet-dies-and-i-take-it-out-on-my-boss/115027/4 "2002-06-20T17:11:53Z")
The good news is tomorrow is another day. It will take awhile to get acclimated to your loss, you have my best wishes. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-dumb-pet-dies-and-i-take-it-out-on-my-boss/115027/5 "2002-06-20T18:31:49Z")
It sounds as though it would have been much nicer to have taken your boss in to be euthanized, and shown your work to your rat . . . (Poor rat . . . I do feel badly for it . . . But you did the right thing.) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-dumb-pet-dies-and-i-take-it-out-on-my-boss/115027/6 "2002-06-20T18:35:52Z")
{{{{ **Lizard** }}}} What you did wasn’t dumb-it was a normal human reaction. You sound a lot more coherant than I was when we had to put poor little Tess to sleep (our kitten.) ---
**Author:** ![Tiburon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e36b37/32.png) [@Tiburon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tiburon)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-dumb-pet-dies-and-i-take-it-out-on-my-boss/115027/7 "2002-06-21T00:34:57Z")
Hey, Lizard, I’m sorry to hear about your pet. What was her name? I hope you’re hanging in there. It’s never easy to lose a pet. Tibs. ---
**Author:** ![musicguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@musicguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/musicguy)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-dumb-pet-dies-and-i-take-it-out-on-my-boss/115027/8 "2002-06-21T02:21:49Z")
I’m very sorry to hear about your loss. I just went through it and know it sucks. Hang in there. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-dumb-pet-dies-and-i-take-it-out-on-my-boss/115027/9 "2002-06-21T02:59:49Z")
Rats are very under-rated as pets. They are amazingly smart, when you take into account their sub-almond-sized brain. Gonk learned about wrappers incredibly fast, we would toss a condom to him and show guests how he could open one up faster than ANY human in the room. (nibble nibble nibble) Then he’d just sort of strut around with it in his mouth. 😉 I remember when dear Gonk was hurt, and had to go. Dry ice in a small bowl of water, with Gonk nearby, in a sink with the drain covered. He went well. Too bad yer boss wouldn’t fit in a sink, eh? ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-dumb-pet-dies-and-i-take-it-out-on-my-boss/115027/10 "2002-06-21T04:26:20Z")
I remember putting my rat Anubis down, when I was back in high school. I loved that creature; he used to hide in my hair, and sleep away hours, only to pop out whenever anyone easily freaked was nearby. Rats are smart, clean, cute, and fun. I’m really sorry for your loss. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-dumb-pet-dies-and-i-take-it-out-on-my-boss/115027/11 "2002-06-21T06:39:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tiburon \* > \*\*Hey, Lizard, > > I’m sorry to hear about your pet. What was her name? > \*\* Everyone had a different name for her. I just called her “Rat.” Sometimes (affectionately) “Stupid Rat.” She was nice to have around, even though she was more timid and less intelligent than my other one. Thanks guys.