To The Rat

Steve Rubenstein: They raised their grape juice cups at Lakeshore Elementary School in memory of Jupiter the rat.

"He was a great rat," said fourth-grade teacher Rich Mertes. "Possibly the greatest rat in the world. And he never bit anyone."

Jupiter was so great that more than 100 kids elected to skip recess Friday in order to attend Jupiter's funeral, held inside Room 106 at the school on Middlefield Drive in San Francisco.

Jupiter died Thursday of old age in Mr. Mertes' arms, moments after the dismissal bell rang. He was 2.