The Karamalakos family, owners of the Dome Grill in Pinellas County, Florida, would like to make it clear that they had nothing to do with this. Cheryl Koski just wants to forget the whole thing, but can't just yet.

Koski was having her usual breakfast of a biscuit, orange juice and Diet Coke out on the Dome's storefront terrace. She felt a tickle across her ankle, shook it off and looked to see what it was. Then wished she hadn't. Flopping at her feet was a particularly disturbed-looking bat. A bat later found to be Pinellas County's first rabid bat of the season.

Koski has begun her series of rabies shots, but her relations with the Dome won't be so easily treated, and Koski has no plans to return. Nicolas Karamalakos, however, is adamant the bat's arrival was a fluke. "What do you want me to tell you?" he commented. "I pass by. Bums pass by... He's not our little pet."

» Scott Saxon