A man walked into a Chinese antique shop and spotted a life-sized brass rat.

"How much for the rat?" he asked the ancient proprietor. "Twenty dollars for the rat," was the reply. "But a thousand dollars for the story behind the rat."

The man shrugged. "I'll just take the rat," he said, and he did. But shortly after leaving the shop, he notices an actual, live rat following him down the street..and then two, and then ten, and finally a hundred.

Walking faster, he trotted around the corner to discover thousands of rats, from all over the city, converging at his heels and following him, no matter how fast he ran.

Finally he came to the water's edge. In desperation, he climbed a phone pole. All l0,000 rats were at its base, clawing and squeaking. Panicking, he threw the brass rat as far out into the ocean as he could.

Immediately, all l0,000 rats turned and ran off the pier into the ocean, drowning in a huge, bubbling mass.

The man wiped his brow and found his way back to the Chinese antique shop. The proprietor recognized him immediately.

"Ah, so now you want to know the story behind the rat," he said.

"Actually, no," said the man. " I was wondering if you have a brass lawyer."