Today, driving past the beach, a little critter bolted from the ditch.

Judging from its bald tail? It was a rat.

I say ‘was’, because now?

The rat is flat.

Of this I am certain.

My car made that gut-wrenching ba-dump sound.

Did I slow down?

Yes.

Did I try to avoid this rat?

Yes.

And?

I could see its remains there in my rearview.

It made a choice and stuck with it.

Powered by the ‘courage of its convictions’ it beelined it across the road.

It did this with really poor timing.

Two days prior?

Same road, different area I encountered a squirrel.

Squirrels do not move with the courage of conviction.

They’re pretty erratic.

This one was darting in and out of the ditch and in and out of the lane I was driving in.

Somehow?

It decided to pause while my car passed over it.

How could I tell?

I saw it continue on into the ditch on the other side of the road.

It likely went to the squirrel pub and had a hell of a story to tell its friends.

The determined courage of convictions the rat had?

Admirable.

The squirrel with the ability to pause, take an instant in a moment of danger?

Much more effective.

Me?

I prefer pragmatic squirrels over idealistic rats.