Man, what a day! I’m tellin’ ya, being a ratcatcher in Valenza is no walk in the park. I woke up this mornin’ with the sun blarin’ through my window on Rua da Liberdade. Thought, “Today’s gonna be chill.” Ha! Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
First off, I hit the market at Praça da República. You know, the one with all the fresh produce and the smell of grilled sardines? Yeah, that place. I was just grabbin’ some snacks for the day when I spotted a rat. Not just any rat, but a freakin’ monster! This thing was the size of a small dog. I swear it looked at me like, “What you gonna do about it, huh?” I was like, “Oh, you’re on, buddy.”
So, I chased that furry little beast down Rua 1º de Maio. I’m runnin’, trippin’ over cobblestones, and I can hear people laughin’ at me. Like, c’mon, folks! You ever tried catchin’ a rat? It’s not easy! I finally cornered it near the old fountain. You know, the one that’s always dry? Yeah, that one. I thought I had it, but nope! It darted right past me. I was so mad, I could’ve screamed.
Then, outta nowhere, I bumped into Maria. She’s this sweet old lady who always gives me cookies. I was like, “Maria, you won’t believe the day I’m havin’!” And she just laughed, handed me a cookie, and said, “You need this more than I do.” Bless her heart.
After that, I decided to take a breather at the park by the river. You know, the one with the big trees and the ducks? I sat there, munchin’ on my cookie, thinkin’ about life. Then I saw a couple of kids throwin’ bread to the ducks. I thought, “Man, I wish I could just chill like that.” But nope! I’m out here chasin’ rats.
Suddenly, I got a call. It was the bakery on Rua da Estação. They had a rat problem too. Great. Just what I needed. I rushed over, and when I got there, the owner was freakin’ out. “They’re eatin’ my pastries!” he yelled. I mean, who wouldn’t be mad? I’d be furious if I found a rat in my pastéis de nata!
So, I got to work. I set up traps, laid down some bait, and waited. And waited. Nothing. Just when I thought I’d have to give up, I heard a noise. There it was! The rat! It was nibblin’ on a croissant. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I lunged, and boom! Got it! I felt like a hero. The bakery owner was so happy, he gave me a free pastry. Score!
But then, as I was leavin’, I stepped in something. Yup, dog poop. Just my luck, right? I was so mad, I could’ve kicked a wall. But hey, at least I had my pastry.
Finally, I headed home, exhausted. I walked down Rua da Liberdade again, thinkin’ about how crazy the day was. I mean, one minute I’m chasin’ a rat, the next I’m savin’ pastries. Valenza is wild, man.
As I flopped onto my bed, I thought, “Tomorrow’s gotta be better.” But deep down, I knew it wouldn’t be. Because in Valenza, you never know what’s comin’ next. And that’s what keeps it interesting, right?