Tom Gets Married

By Oishi Pattanayak

I never thought I'd see this day…

My biggest enemy Tom, whose motto of life had always been to take mine and do God-knows-what with it, finally stood beside me as a friend, family, brother...what more could I have? What more could I ask for and be granted with?

It all started with a letter that I found at my doorstep last Thursday. It looked like another trap by Tom, so I got really scared! I took safeguards and avoided him for a few days until the truth brought itself before my eyes. See for yourself if you, too, don't think it might be a trap–

Dear Jerry,

I tried to tell you this face-to-face. But, you ran away everytime. Our horrifying Mrs. Two Shoes won't be home next Tuesday, so I am planning for a very special occasion in the evening. A party with a lot of food from the horrifying lady's kitchen! I desperately want you to be there. Please come. If I see you in the meantime, I'll tell you again.

-Love,

Tom

Tom was inviting me to a party! No way! This had to be a trick. So, for extra-super caution of my fluttering little life, I put myself in a lockdown inside my own small home, sat on my White cup-chair and read books all day. I knew he could be setting his grandly engineered traps made of utensils anywhere around the big house of Mrs.Two Shoes, so very carefully I would go out to steal the only necessary food for sustenance.

Days passed, Saturday came, Sunday came...and soon it was Tuesday morning. As Tom had said in his letter, Mammy Two Shoes left, in the morning only. As she left, sounds of something being made up, of wood and utensils, started to rise. Soon I heard high cheerful voices of Butch, Meathead and Topsy! "OH.MY.GOD! What if they all are friends with Tom now, and together they are building the largest mice-trap ever for me, a trap which can kill me the moment I step out of my hole?" the thought of it made my heart pop out, and I fainted….

Waking up at 12:00 pm, I heard Spike Bulldog with his baby greeting Tom. "Bulldog, too, is Tom's friend now?! Why, God? Why do I have to die such a tragic death digesting the betrayal from Spike?", I wondered in shock. By the afternoon I assumed the trap was complete, as the sounds stopped…but, Spike said repeatedly, "Why isn't Jerry here yet? When will he come?"

"Yes, Spike! My dear friend who has not betrayed me! I'll be right there before your loyal self and your new friends, to watch myself getting murdered. I'll be right there, you traitor!"–I was devastated! And there, his impatience about my absence went on….Such a 'nice' betrayal! Right then Tyke, Spike's son, knocked on my wall from outside. "Now he is the next generation traitor, too?", thinking this, I kept quiet pretending to be away from home. But, Tyke kept on knocking.

-Jewrry mouch! Come out! It's a paaaartyyy!

"I know what 'party' you're holding, dear.", I thought but didn't respond. Tyke spoke again,

-Jewrry mouch! Come out! You afraid of the pussie cat? Oh, he good. The wife here! Come come!

Wife? Whose wife? I was surprised like anything! Tyke is an honest baby boy, he won't make things up...so, should I just step out and see for once? But, for the sake of my life, not at all! So, I quietly took out my extendable monocular and extended it out to have a look. Right then Tyke pulled my monocular, and me along with it. The device fell from my hand, and I was now inside Tyke's baby-grip. And...I could see with my bare eyes–GRAND DECORATIONS! God! I should have used the monocular earlier, before coming to my own conclusion. It was a real goddamn party! There were lights everywhere, new carpet on the floor, new tablecloths on the tables, and food food and food on them...Spike, Mike, Meathead, Butch, Cousin George, and even my friends Ben the hen and Quacker the duck were there!

So, they were actually building these tables and all the entire day after Two Shoes left? And my assumption of betrayal and the trap was wrong? I felt so embarrassed about everything! Still, I went to greet everyone. I asked them,"What is this party for?". But, no one answered. Everyone was smiling beautifully. Soon I learned, Quacker and Ben had received Tom's invitation, too; and so had Spike, Mike and the cats. It was only me who disbelieved Tom. Only me. They told me to go meet Tom, and pointed to a door.

Opening it I found Tom sitting upset, dressed in a fabulous costume and gorgeous makeup.

-Jerry! You've come!

He came running towards me. As usual, I quickly hid myself behind the opened door. But, Tom probably understood my fear; he sat on the floor before me. And , instead of trying to open the door or snatch me, he spoke softly,

-I thought you won't come. I have been dressed for over an hour, but refused to let the event begin without you. I was so sad the whole day that I didn't speak properly with my other guests. I knew you'd disbelieve me, Jerry. So, I sent Tyke, my last hope, to fetch you. I believed Tyke would succeed, and look, he has! You're here!

-B...but, what is this party for? Why are dressed so n...nicely?

-I'm getting married, Jerry.

-Whaaaattt! You're getting what!

-Yes! Toodles Galore–the most beautiful White Queen Cat in the world. You know her, Jerry. She is the one I and Butch fought for against each other...I am getting married to her!

-But, why is Butch here, then? Isn't he supposed to…?

-Yes, I thought so, too. But, last month when we both confessed our love to her, and showed what each of us had to offer her, she accepted me instead of Butch. Trust me, Jerry, I had no materialistic luxury to give her. So, I said,"I am a poor housecat. All I have for you is what they call true love. And, that is never going to fade away!" And, guess what? My words won against Butch's car full of jewelry and money! After having Toodles beside me, I have realised, Jerry, that I don't have to be a terrible cat to you anymore. I can be the person I actually am–caring, loving and sociable. I don't have to chase good creatures like you just to please Mammy, and yet she'd hate me. I can be myself now, and she has opened my eyes! It's not just her...I love you all, too! And, I'm never going to live otherwise now. Can...can you forgive me, Jerry, so I can start it all over?

-Oh Tom! Forget what we had, it's your wedding!...I'm so happy for you!

-Now, please come out, friend. You're supposed to be my groomsman! Only if you forgive me….

-Damn yeah! I forgive you….But, me as your groomsman?!

-Yes, that is exactly why we haven't started the wedding ceremony yet; because you were scared to come out. Haha!

...and that was it! I got dressed in the blink of an eye and met him. He hugged me for two straight minutes and wept like a baby! He was very sorry, and I knew it was genuine, just like his love for Toodles was. Butch volunteerily became the other groomsman. Spike was the Father to make the couple take their oaths. So, there I was, standing beside the new Tom; or should I say this was him all the time, but had been under a charm of artificiality for his job? I am not sure. But, I am sure of one thing–even if Tom had never considered me a friend before, he does it now. Wholeheartedly.

Wait...haven't I mentioned how magnificent Toodles looked? Oh see, I have been so consumed by describing my anxiety and Tom's confession of guilt, that I totally forgot the Queen! Toodles' fur were even Whiter and glossier that evening, and she wore a classic White wedding dress….The beautiful bride came walking towards Tom, in dazzling serpentine moves, zig-zag zig-zag, with her cheeks blushing and her sparkling eyelashes tossing with each other every time she blinked at the ground. I wondered why she didn't look straight in the eyes of Tom with her bold charisma like before! Does marriage make you that shy? Awww...then I looked at Tom, he looked back at me, smiling peacefully. Tom was happy–very very happy! And, so was I, for him!

...I never thought I'd see this day, and have a photograph of it hung up on the favourite wall of my house! When I look at it, it seems no time has passed since then, but so much has happened! That wedding was not just a wedding, but also a resurrection that revealed the Tom all of us were overlooking. A wedding–a blessing it was!

By Oishi Pattanayak