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companions; so, before long, we were bottling Green Mush TM , delivering it to friends, and shipping it nationwide. June tested each new version of the mush to make sure it passed the taste test. We began receiving amazing testimonials from people whose rats, dogs, cats, and other companion animals were thriving on the formula. When they thanked us, we told them we owed it all to June.
    I must admit I loved her soft coat, her pretty ears, and her delicate pink hands and feet. But there was a lot more to admire about June than her appearance. She had such presence . People could sense it right away. Even those who thought they didn’t like rats. Upon hearing that she was a rat, people often initially responded negatively, but upon actually meeting her, they came to know and love her as simply June. She seemed like such a wise old soul, filled with unconditional love for all people, regardless of their initial reaction to her. Once you looked into her shiny, round, soulful eyes, you just knew someone important was looking back at you.
    People often commented that June seemed incredibly evolved and spiritual, and they found her presence very healing. When they came by to visit or to pick up health products, many friends and customers seemed more excited to see June than to see us . When they called, they often asked about her, and our good friend Aden (a grown man, I might add) always ended each phone conversation with, “Give my love to June.”
    Because Jameth and I regularly gave lectures and workshops, and we had a published book with our photo on it, people often recognized us around town. One day, while shopping at a local health food store, a grown woman approached Jameth excitedly, clearly recognizing him.
    “Aren’t you June’s dad?” she asked with delight. We soon learned who the celebrity was in our family.
    June seemed to just know who the friendly people were, and from whom to keep her distance. When a friend of ours brought a woman over to our home to discuss our health products, the woman looked uptight and mentioned that she didn’t like “the rat’s naked tail.” Our friend responded, “I can only imagine how June would feel if she saw my naked tail—she’d be horrified!” The woman smiled and relaxed, and June’s charming presence soon stole her heart as well. June managed to change many people’s perceptions of rats. She was truly a little ambassador for ratkind.
    O NE DAY , I WAS IN A PANIC because I couldn’t find June. I searched frantically for her, fearing the worst. Eventually, I discovered that I had accidentally closed her in the closet. She was nestled in a small basket, where she had apparently been enjoying an afternoon nap. She gazed peacefully out at me, obviously enjoying her new haven. She looked at me as if to say, “Relax … everything’s fine.”
    Another time, I found June burrowed deep inside an oversized basket filled with crumpled, recycled shipping paper, which we used to ship gifts and health products to family and friends. Unable to resist such perfect nesting material, June had created an elaborate nest in the middle of the basket and began taking her afternoon naps there. From then on, a common sound in our home was that of June shredding paper as she constantly refined her nest. I was worried that we might accidentally ship June amid a wad of shipping paper, and I often found myself opening sealed packages to make sure she wasn’t inside. So, for June’s safety and my sanity, I decided that I must dismantle the nest.
    One day while June was out eating her lunch, I removed all of the shredded paper and assorted nesting materials that June had gathered, and I relocated the materials. I figured June, being a rat, would have no trouble constructing a new nest elsewhere. It’s what rats do .
    Later, June headed toward her former nest. She climbed to the top edge of the basket and looked horrified as she stared into the emptiness. She climbed down to the bottom and