Episode 9: The Lovelorn Mouse

It was a lovely spring morning in the big city where Tom and Jerry lived with young Robyn Starling and her father. But today was different for one occupant of Starling Mansion. Everywhere Jerry Mouse looked out the window of Robyn's room, he seemed to see a happy pair walking in the springtime sun. They all looked so happy, and Jerry wanted to enjoy the day in much the same way. That's when he remembered: he didn't have a girlfriend. Jerry never got out that much, and most of his friends were always going out with their sweethearts while he was all alone.

Letting out a forlorn sigh, Jerry walked away from the window and walked through the halls of the mansion to the living room. He hopped down the stairs and then went into the living room of the big house to sit on the couch. While he was sitting there, his buddy Tom Cat came inside after spending some time in the yard with Robyn, just looking at flowers and painting pictures in the clouds. They saw Jerry on the big loveseat and were moved by what they saw.

When the two sat down beside him, Tom asked his mouse buddy, "What's up, Jerry? You look a little down today."

"I dunno what's gotten into me, Tom," sighed Jerry. "The trouble's in my heart. I can't help feeling that I'm just not ready for love since Peep returned to Mars."

Tom understood how Jerry felt. He hadn't seen Toodles much since moving in with Robyn and her father, but he had come to terms with the idea that it wasn't meant to last. Clearly, Jerry wasn't able to get his hopes up about finding a girl mouse who would love him for him.

Robyn gave Jerry a little pat on the head and she said, "It's okay, Jerry. Loneliness doesn't have to get you down. Daddy always tells me that when I'm old enough, it'll happen when I don't expect it to. Who knows? Maybe one day soon, there'll be a little mouse girl who will want to fall in love with you."

Jerry smiled a bit and then hugged Tom and Robyn. He didn't know how long he would have to wait until he was ready for love, but for now, he was content to be in the company of his owner and his best friend. Little did he know that good fortune was to come his way very soon.

…

A few days later, Jerry was contentedly enjoying a few grapes while relaxing atop the dinner table. He was just sitting there, taking in the relative calmness of Starling Mansion while Tom was having a cat nap, when Robyn entered the kitchen with a very wide smile.

"Jerry, you got an invitation to an event!" she said excitedly.

Jerry took the letter in his hands and read it with growing interest. It read:

To: Jerry Mouse

Mouse Social Today!

Come to the river bridge for five hours of fun, food, and music!
First prize of twenty cheese blocks to anyone who can stay in a dance with Miss Clara de Camembert for ten minutes!

"Between you and me, Jerry, I think you should go," said Robyn. "It'll probably be more fun than you think. And who knows? You might be able to dance with this Clara de Camembert."

Jerry thought it over and said, "You're right, Robyn. I'll do it!"

He hugged his little owner's face and then hurried off to his mouse hole to put on his best blue suit and tie. Once he was ready, he gave Robyn another hug and then headed out to the old bridge where he and Tom had first encountered the little girl only six months ago. He had no idea what the social would be like, but he hoped it would be enough to cure his spring blues.

…

It took nearly thirty minutes for Jerry to complete the walk to the bridge where he and his cat buddy Tom had met Robyn, but he arrived at noon, just after the Mouse Social had started. He hopped down the steps and arrived at the social, and he wasn't disappointed. There were several mice there, the males in suits and the females in dresses. Many were seated at tables enjoying fine meals (as fine as a mouse can experience), and others were on the dance floor putting on quite the dance show.

Jerry explained to the mouse in charge of the guestlist that he had received an invitation to the mouse social and after talking it over for a while, he was allowed to enter. He seated himself down at a table and ordered a crumb of coffee cake with a cherry chaser. Fortunately, the food and drink was free, so Jerry wouldn't have to worry about an empty wallet.

It wasn't long after Jerry finished his meal that the stage announcer declared, "All right, ladies and gentlemen! It's the moment you've been waiting for! Let's all welcome the most beautiful dancing mouse this side of the USA: Miss Clara de Camembert!"

Clara de Camembert turned out to be a mouse with cream-colored fur and very curly blonde hair, and she wore a pretty green dress that was lined with very small pearls. Jerry simply sat there and watched her dance to show off for the audience before the dancing competition began.

When the dancing competition began, Jerry realized that he might be a little in over his head. Clara turned out to be more than a match for any guest at the mouse social; first, she did the Charleston dance on top of a plastic cup; then she did the Red River Jig; and then the New Vogue. After only fifteen minutes, twenty competitors in the dance competition had lost to Clara. However, Jerry was not going to let that drag him down. He hopped up on the stage and prepared to dance with her.

"Well, hello," said Clara to Jerry.

"Hello," replied Jerry with a blush.

Clara prepared to bring another round of dancing and said, "You think you can keep up with me?"

Jerry simply shrugged and then watched as Clara did a dance of flips, twirls, and twists. She moved with the fluidity of a ribbon in the wind, never missing a step. Jerry was getting nervous, and he had good reason to be since no one had lasted five minutes up on the stage with this beautiful dancing mouse. However, he began his dance at the signal from the judges.

Jerry did the fancy feet, the worm dance, and did numerous hops, twists, and even cartwheels. He felt a little tired after only three minutes, but he pressed on with the dance. When he reached the halfway mark, the audience was paying attention to him as much as Clara. This only made Jerry want to continue dancing, and soon he wasn't just competing with Clara de Camembert. He was dancing with her. They waltzed, reeled, tangoed, and even did the foxtrot.

In a few moments, Jerry and Clara were smiling warmly at each other as they danced together on the stage. Then to Jerry's surprise, Clara hugged him and squeaked, "You did it, Mr. Jerry! You won!"

"I won?" said Jerry with a leap of excitement in his heart.

It was true. Jerry Mouse had danced in the contest with Clara de Camembert for the required ten minutes. He won the twenty cheese blocks, wished Clara well and promised he would see her again soon, and returned to Starling Mansion with his winnings and a very happy heart. He told Tom and Robyn all about the mouse social and got so many pats on the head and hugs from his cat friend and his owner. And when he finally went to bed that night, all he could dream about was the beauty of his wonderful evening.

A/N: Hope you all enjoyed this new chapter of the Tom, Robyn, and Jerry Show!

*Camembert is the name of a cheese produced in Normandy in northwest France, named for the town where it was first produced in the 1700s.

Only three more chapters to go, and this little Tom and Jerry story will be complete. Enjoy!