Nine-year-old Ayan Abdi Jama bit into a McDonald's Big Mac in June 1999 in a Toronto, Canada restaurant and then noticed she had eaten more than a hamburger. Staring up at her were the remains of a rat's head complete with the eyes, teeth, nose, and whiskers.

Her family is suing McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Ltd., a wholly owned unit of McDonald's Corp., for $11.2 million for the alleged event.

The rat was nestled between the Big Mac toppings, and the child actually ingested some of the rodent. The family's lawyer says it was a horrible experience for the little girl. "Obviously, it's going to impact how they see restaurant food for the rest of their lives," said attorney Ted Charney. "From a parent's point of view, how would you feel if you watched your child take a bite out of a rat's head?"

The family is claiming in its lawsuit that Ayan suffered from "extensive psychiatric damages."

McDonald's Canada responded by saying: "The quality and safety of our food is paramount to every aspect of our McDonald's operation. McDonald's will defend itself to the fullest extent of the law."

The restaurant in which the rat's head was allegedly found had passed health inspections, although Toronto recently implemented a stricter grading program that has resulted in 60 restaurant closings in 16 weeks--most for rodent violations. The allegations being made by the Jama family have not yet been proven in court. --Cathryn Conroy

A preacher was making his rounds to his parishioners on a bicycle, when he came upon a little boy trying to sell a lawn mower.

"How much do you want for the mower?" asked the preacher.

"I'm trying to make enough money to buy a bicycle," said the little boy.

After a moment of consideration, the Preacher asked, "Will you take my bike in trade for it?"

The boy said, "You got a deal."

The preacher took the mower and tried to crank it. He pulled on the string a few times with no response from the mower.

The preacher called the little boy over and said, "I can't get this mower to start"

The little boy said. "That's 'cause you have to cuss at it to get it to start."

The preacher said, "I'm a minister, and I can't cuss. It's been so long since I've been saved that I don't know if I even remember how to cuss."

The little boy looked at him happily and said, "Just keep pulling on that string. It'll come back to you!"