rat report: part I
an autobiography of a lab rat at the Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology, Singapore

ahem, ahem! Do you hear me? *taps microphone*
Okay, ah, erm, hi

I'm nobody really
Just a little rat named Rattus
Running the infamous rat race

I'm the good old rational rat
Running in my own little lane
I never do anything out of line
Never disturb the cat
Never offend my own race

Perhaps you're wondering
Rats were cruel rats were bad
Rats chew furniture and make housewives mad
How could I be, a good old rat?

Well my Mama told me
That I'm called Rattus and I'm just another
Rat
But if I be a goody goody one,
Run my little race,
Never to step out of my own lane,
Be good work hard
I would get to the center of the maze
Find the cheese
And become somebody
Somebody
Somebody Someday.

Well it's been years since I've seen my mama
But her voice still rings in my head
Ever since we've been separated
I've come to this weirdo scientist's lab
So everyday I just run and run and run
Never find the cheese
But never mind, I'll keep running,
Be good work hard
I'll get the cheese someday
Someday.

When I get the cheese I bet all the other rats will go mad
Maybe that would be the day the mad scientist would let me go back!
Go back to you, my mama
Then I could curl up against you again
Like we never separated before
Mama,
Do you know how much your little rat
Your little Rattus,
misses you?

But it's okay it's all right
I'll run my little race well
Be good work hard
I'll keep to my own lane
Never step out of line
And soon enough I'll get to the center of the maze
Get the big BEEG cheese,
I hear it's gigantic, they say!

And then I'll return to you mama.
Back to the fields of the
golden daffodils
Marry a sweet little female rat
And have lots of little 'uns
Just like you had me mama
Just like you had me

But first I need to keep running
Run and run and run
Until I get to the center
Become the winner
Become that somebody you wanted me to become
That somebody, mama

But well,
Until then
I'm a nobody really
Just a little rat named Rattus

Running the rat race...