PHOTO PROMPT © Sandra Crook
Punch and Judy
Punch ate porn for breakfast.
“Get your lazy ass up and get me my coffee.”
Judy still cringed when Punch combined orders with insults. Perhaps it was the banality of his tone. Perhaps it was the way his bloodshot eyes never shifted from the computer screen as he leered at another pay-per-view hooker through Red Tube.
She chose predictability over novelty with strychnine. A smile played over her lips as he toppled off of the chair as he came.
Two weeks later, Judy looks out of the window of the popcorn box house. Was the rat population growing in the alley?
[100 words]
Note: this story was inspired by a relative and by a recent Colbert monologue where he talks about the rat problem in New York City. Thanks, Sandra, for bringing this act back to me.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the host of Friday Fictioneers.
Tao Talk 
The rats threw me a bit. Are they eating the corpse?
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You got it. Bit by bit, as she throws it out.
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p.s. I have no idea what the gestation length is for rats, but maybe the bits are pulling in rats from other alleys? Now I’ve stretched this story as far as I can for the scope of the venue.
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The rats will never leave us. But my street has improved a lot since they stopped digging it up. (K)
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It really seems like they could put birth control pellets out there? Catch, sterilize, and release, like they do feral cats?
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I don’t know. Rats are an intimate part of the ecosystem. You want to kill them if you catch them–way too many to sterilize. Poisoning them ends up killing birds. The best thing to do is destroy their nesting places and keep garbage off the streets. But that’s not so easy to do.
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Rats and people go paw in hand I think. They are kindred spirits. I need to put some thought in doing a collage about it.
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I look forward to it! They do seem to have a symbiotic relationship.
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Pretty dark stuff. At least he died happily! :-)
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LMAO! That might be the best comment I ever got, Christian. Die doing what you love isn’t a bad way to go (aside from the poison, of course.)
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Perhaps he deserved the strychnine but the rats 🐀 don’t
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Oh wow, didn’t think of that. Maybe I need to edit the story to make them dead rats. Though that might be a tip-off to an observant detective.
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Haha! No your story is just perfect. 👍🏼
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<3
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One would think he’d be happier starting his day so joyously. He must have had something seriously missing in his life. Now, it’s life that he’s seriously missing.
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Yeppers.
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Sounds like she got rid of one rat.
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LOL Great comment, James!
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Way to go! As Punch always says “That’s the way to do it!” Dark and funny.
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Sandra, I didn’t know that’s what Punch always says. Makes the story even better! Thanks :)
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rats! what a horrible end. :(
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For sure. Thanks for reading and your comment.
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I always hoped Judy would get her own back one day!
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And it looks like today was the day :) Now I feel bad for those poor rats that ingested strychnine.
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Don’t upset Judy, she can only take so much. I think the bitterness linger as the rats eat the body is the high point of her revenge.
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It feels like she’s gone round the bend. Beat a dog long enough and it will turn on you and then, unfortunately have to be destroyed :(
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Lovely image. I could do with some beach time right now.
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Yes, it is! I hope you make your way to the beach and spend a lovely time there.
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Thank you. It’s in my plans. 🤓
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Those rats…what a touch to the story!
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:) Thanks, Angela!
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Dear Lisa,
You could say that Judy’s added some Punch to the rats’ lunch. (I’ll see myself out now.) Loved your timely spin on the prompt.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, well-stated :) Thanks much.
Shalom,
Lisa
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I’m not sorry for him. Not because of the porn but because of the way he treats Judy. And the rats are always there. They are smart and fascinating creatures and closer than we think. That doesn’t mean that I want them in the house…
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I feel as you do about Punch. Hoping Judy finds peace now that her nemesis has gone onto to other things ;) Rats, no thanks. I’m sure they serve some function that is useful to humans — or maybe not.
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They are useful for their ecosystem. Humans are a lot like rats but they destroy their ecosystem. :)
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There really is a Red Tube. Learn something new every day! I guess if one has to go that’s not a bad way of going?!
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I know about Red Tube (but haven’t watched it.) Dying watching porn maybe not but the strychnine poisoning? I can think of better ways to go. Thanks for reading and your comment, Michael.
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Oh my gosh… well she certainly took care of the problem and the rats will take care of the rest.
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Indeed, Laurie. She’ll have to dispose of the rat bodies from the poisoned body, but that’s what they make dumpsters for ;)
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Dark and funny, reminds me of a Stephen King short story.
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Thank you. High praise :)
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love it Lisa :D very cool story!
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lol thanks, Carol Anne :)
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