Battery-Operated Rat
(Anne Mcdonough)
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Battery-Operated Rat
What is it? Hard to say. A toy, maybe? According to its box, this motorized rodent has a wide range of abilities. "The feet can take a stroll," it boasts. Also "the tail can turn, and it will give out light." True in both cases. Plus, it plays music.
Where can you buy it, and how much? Along with a lot of other plastic novelties, you can purchase the rat in kiosks along Hanoi's Hang Can Street. I paid 55,000 dong (about $3.50).
Why would you want it? This isn't your average street rat. It's a fluorescent orange animal with blue eyes and the receding hairline of an older man. The rat is fat, too -- about the size of a meatloaf.
Reminds you of Vietnam because: This is the world's cheeriest country. Everyone enjoys a giggle. Even statues of Buddha here wear a silly grin. And, according to its box, this is a "Happy Rat! Happy Rat!"
Downside: Traumatizes household pets.
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