Here is a story that I promised my family I would write (though really Rolf should write it since it was his firsthand experience.) While the Schwenks were in Addis, our children were given the responsibility to feed Hurley, their German shepherd dog. Four scoops of cooked rice and a bowl of water each morning and night. They took their responsibility very seriously and did it well.
Since Hurley would howl at night if left outside, we kept him in the Schwenk house. One evening, he kept whining loud enough that we could hear him from our house. So Rolf went to see what the problem was. Well the children had left the backdoor open. Rolf went to close it and then saw what Hurley was really whining about. A rat in the Schwenk house, scurrying around their kitchen looking for something to eat.
Rolf set up a trap, took Hurley outside and returned to our house hoping for a convenient resolution. After 1/2 hour, he returned to check the trap. Empty. So he put on his garden gloves, brought Hurley back in and began “hunting”. Rolf has come to the conclusion, that the fastest method of disposing of a rat is to have courage and speed (in addition to knowledge of their ways).
Hurley was an asset only in that he made the rat confused. After several failed attempts at capturing the rat, it ran up Rolf's chest under his shirt. This is the part that makes me shudder. It managed again to escape. One more attempt and success! Rolf picked it up with his gloved hand, stunned it by throwing it to the cement floor and then ended its life.
No damage was done to the Schwenks house and Rolf was able to sleep with ease. Sleep did not come quite so quickly to me as I envisioned the rat's flight up Rolf's shirt. Yes my husband has both speed and courage.
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