Page 32 - The Gluckman Occasional Number Four

Then Basil told Arturo the story of
his own life, as quickly as he could
before the elephant realized he could
easily pluck the rodent off with his
trunk and continue walking off the
pier. “I was born undersized and
sickly,” the rat began, speaking softly
into the huge elephantine ear canal just
inches from his face. “My family
babied me, and I loved to get attention
by showing off and imitating my aunts
and uncles.”
As Basil spoke, Arturo recognized that the rat had lived through
some experiences very similar to his own. Acting had become a way
of life for the young rodent; he had begun serious studies in
adolescence; and Basil had created a sensation when he first
appeared in “The Importance of Being Earnest” off-Broadway.
Most of the playgoers had come merely to see a rat perform in a role
previously reserved for human beings, but all cheered wildly when
the curtain lowered. Basil had gone from triumph to triumph, the
toast of continents.

Arturo was amazed. “But didn’t it bother you,” he asked, “that the
audience never really saw your performance? They only saw a
trained animal. They didn’t care if you knew how to act or not. Just
like me,” he added bitterly.