By Bob Eckstein
About the cartoonist: Bob Eckstein is a writer, illustrator, author, and contributor of cartoons to The New Yorker and West Side Rag. Check out his popular newsletter, The Bob. Read the Rag’s Q & A with him — HERE.
And our new feature, Rag Radio, talked to Bob about his work. You can listen — HERE.
See all WSR Cartoons here.
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If its Of Mice and Doormen, why did the WSR bungle the headline with “Rats”
This is really amazing making jokes about the most disgusting 🤮 thing about NYC.
Rats. Can’t wait until one of these horrible creatures crawls into your pipes into your
toilet and bites your Arse.
Calm down, Maddie.
There are two main reasons for the sheer number of rats we see on the UWS. One is bird-feeding, since whatever the birds don’t eat (and there’s plenty left over), the rats come and get at night.
The second is lack of composting. Rats are attracted to garbage – primarily “wet” garbage. If people do not separate out the “wet” (compostable) garbage from the rest, then when the large black garbage bags are put out by their supers or other maintenance people, those bags are going to attract rats, who tear them open and rummage through for the food remnants.
I used to come home very night and see up to half a dozen rats scurry across the sidewalk or street on my block, always going to and from the garbage bags. Once my block began composting (and almost every building does it now), the rats have largely disappeared; I have not seen a single one for months. And they have also left their living holes in the tree pits.
Composting is the single most effective way to reduce rats. Anyone, any building, who is not doing it is responsible for the rats they see.
How about using rat proof garbage containers like the rest of the civilized world?
Or what about having garbage being set out by supers in the morning and the garbage pickups coincide with alternate side?
Looks more like the Upper EAST Side to me!
Looks more like the Upper Jess Side to me!
Bob Eckstein understands New York and the world so well – which comes through in his work
I just love his cartoons and I am glad he is now a part of WSR
Thank you! That was funny and it made me laugh. We all needed that! I haven’t had the chance to laugh much lately because of all the political BS in Washington.
Ha!
How big a tip does the mouse doorman get at the holidays?
He makes a lot of cheddar!
Classic.
No doorman article should be complete without a shoutout to the best doorman on the UWS! Garry Johnson at 186 West 80th Street!