“Let’s go! Today we’re eating a big meal!” Wos was in a great mood, holding Tom in one arm and Jerry in the other.
“Fancy restaurants, Michelin stars, whatever! Today, the whole place is on Young Master Wos!”
Tom and Jerry were thrilled too.
That performance had given them a sense of accomplishment they’d never felt before.
Seeing so many people amazed by their show, that feeling of being recognized was simply wonderful.
“Gentlemen! Hold on a moment!”
Suddenly, a stern shout came from behind them.
Wos turned around and saw three uniformed police officers walking toward them.
The one in front looked to be in his forties, a broad-shouldered man with blond hair, the badge on his chest gleaming in the sunlight.
“We’re done! We’re so done!” Wos’s legs instantly went weak, and he almost dropped Tom and Jerry.
“Those gangsters must have called the cops! I knew it, the bird that sticks its head out gets shot!”
Countless possibilities flashed through his mind in an instant.
Would he be arrested and thrown in jail?
Would the big guys in prison make him pick up the soap?
Would Tom and Jerry be sent to an animal shelter?
“Sir, please show me your identification.” The officer in front stopped in front of Wos, his tone calm but leaving no room for refusal.
Wos pulled out his wallet with trembling hands.
The previous owner’s ID was inside.
“Of… Officer, I didn’t break any law! I was just doing a normal performance!”
The officer took the ID, looked it over, and handed it back.
“Mr. Wos Nibaba, I’m Chief Captain George Stacy of the New York Police Department. We received a report that you were doing street performances without a permit.”
“A report?” Wos froze.
“Who reported me?”
George pointed not far away, where a few street performers stood glaring angrily in their direction.
There was a guy with a guitar, a female artist who drew portraits, and an old man who did magic tricks.
“It’s them!” The old magician pointed indignantly at Wos.
“Ever since this guy showed up, all our business has been stolen! Why does he get to perform without a permit?”
“Yeah! We all have proper permits!” the guitar guy chimed in.
“And those two animals of his don’t have vaccination records either. What if they bite someone?”
Only then did Wos realize it wasn’t the gangsters who had called the police, but jealous colleagues.
He breathed a sigh of relief, but then tensed up again.
Not having a permit really was a problem.
Captain George looked at the crowd of onlookers, then at Wos.
“Sir, they’re right. Street performances in New York City require the proper permit. And your pets also need proof of vaccination.”
“Um… Officer, I’m new here and I don’t really know these rules,” Wos tried to explain.
“Can I apply for one right now?”
Tom and Jerry watched nervously.
Since they could understand human speech, they knew perfectly well that the mood here wasn’t good.
Captain George didn’t make things difficult for him.
“You’ll need to apply at City Hall. The approval process takes about half a month. The fee is one hundred dollars, and you’ll also have to provide proof of identity and proof of residence.”
“Half a month?!” Wos felt like he’d been struck by lightning out of a clear sky.
“Then what am I supposed to do for the next half month?”
“Until you receive your permit, you may not conduct commercial performances in public places,” Captain George said in an official tone.
“As for your pets, they need to get rabies vaccinations at an animal hospital and obtain a health certificate before you take them out.”
Wos felt completely wrecked.
He’d just been daydreaming about a wonderful life, and now he’d plunged straight to rock bottom.
“Um… Officer, can you cut me some slack?” Wos said with a pained expression.
“I really need this job. I can barely afford the rent.”
Captain George looked at him, then at Tom and Jerry, and a flash of sympathy crossed his eyes.
“Sir, I understand your difficulties, but the law is the law. However…”
He paused.
“If you’re only performing at private venues, such as restaurants or bars, then you don’t need a street performance permit.”
Wos’s eyes lit up.
“Really?”
“Of course, but only if the owner of the venue agrees, and your animals will still need proof of vaccination,” Captain George reminded him.
“Thank you, Officer! Thank you!” Wos felt like he’d been granted a pardon and nodded again and again.
The street performers looked annoyed when they saw that Wos wasn’t being taken away.
The old magician wanted to say something, but Captain George stopped him with a single look.
“Alright, break it up.” Captain George waved his hand.
“Mr. Wos, remember what I told you. Until you get your permit, don’t perform in public places.”
After the police walked away, Wos collapsed onto a bench by the road, feeling completely drained.
Tom and Jerry looked at him with worry, not knowing how to comfort him.
“It’s over, completely over.” Wos held his head in his hands.
“I finally saw some hope, and it turned out to be for nothing. Half a month! How could I possibly afford to last half a month?”
Wos counted on his fingers.
“I earned over eighteen hundred today, the rent is due in three days, and I can’t perform for half a month.”
“Over eighteen hundred dollars, and after paying the rent I’ll still have over a thousand left, but the permit costs a hundred, and Tom and Jerry’s vaccinations will cost money too…”
Tom noticed Wos’s anxiety and gently patted his leg, his eyes full of comfort.
Jerry hopped onto Wos’s shoulder and stroked his cheek with his tiny paw.
“I’m so glad I have you two.” Wos forced out a smile.
“But don’t worry, I’ll definitely figure something out.” Wos stood up and brushed the dust off his pants.
“Forget it, let’s deal with the immediate problem first. The officer was right, Tom and Jerry have to get vaccinated first.”
When Tom and Jerry heard the words “get vaccinated,” they instantly froze.
Tom’s tail puffed up, and Jerry hid straight behind Tom.
“Don’t be scared, don’t be scared, it’s just a little poke, over in no time,” Wos reassured them.
“Once you’re vaccinated, we can perform openly wherever we want.”
The three of them found a nearby animal hospital, with a sign reading “Loving Care Pet Clinic” hanging at the entrance.
Through the glass door, they could see that the inside was clean and bright, and a few puppies were waiting in the waiting area.
“Welcome!” A middle-aged female doctor in a white coat walked over.
“Hello, I’m Dr. Smith. Are you here to have these two cuties examined?”
When Tom and Jerry heard “examined,” their faces turned even paler.
“Yes, they need rabies vaccinations and a health certificate,” Wos said.
“No problem, please follow me.” Dr. Smith led them to the examination room.
“These two look very smart, especially this cat, he has such clever eyes.”
Hearing the compliment, Tom felt a little proud at first, but the moment he saw the medical instruments in the examination room, he chickened out.
“Let’s examine the cat first.” Dr. Smith put on her gloves.
As soon as Tom heard he was going first, he bolted.
He darted around the examination room, one moment leaping on top of a cabinet, the next diving under a table.
“Tom! Stop messing around!” Wos chased after him.
Jerry watched from the side with great interest, even clapping now and then for Tom’s “brilliant performance.”
Dr. Smith was amused by the scene too.
“This cat is really lively. But don’t worry, I have a way.”
She took a small piece of dried fish out of the cabinet and waved it in front of Tom.
Tom was instantly drawn in and carefully walked over.
The moment Tom reached out a paw to grab the dried fish, Dr. Smith quickly and deftly caught him.
“There now, be good, it’ll be over soon.” Dr. Smith gently soothed Tom.
When he saw the shiny syringe, Tom’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
He struggled desperately, crying out for help with “meow-ow-ow-ow.”
“Don’t be afraid, it’s just like a mosquito bite.” Dr. Smith got ready to insert the needle.
“Yeow!” Tom let out a scream so loud that even the puppies in the next room were startled into barking wildly.
“Alright, alright, it’s already done.” Dr. Smith let go of Tom.
Tom was stunned for a moment, rubbed his arm, and found that it really was only a slight sting.
He scratched his head a little sheepishly.
His earlier reaction had been a bit over the top.
“Next, the little mouse.” Dr. Smith looked at Jerry.
Jerry, who had just been laughing at Tom, instantly panicked.
He imitated Tom and ran wildly around the examination room.
But Jerry was far too small, and Dr. Smith soon scooped him up with a little net.
“Little guy, don’t be nervous.” Dr. Smith took out an even thinner needle.
Jerry trembled in the net, his tiny eyes full of tears, looking pitiful beyond words.
Tom couldn’t bear to watch.
He walked over and gently patted the net, comforting Jerry with his eyes: It’s fine, I made it through, and you can too.
“Hiss!” The moment the needle went in, Jerry’s whole body stiffened.
But a few seconds later, he found that it didn’t hurt as much as he’d imagined and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Alright, both little warriors did great!” Dr. Smith praised them.
“The vaccination certificates will be ready tomorrow. Just come pick them up tomorrow afternoon.”
“Thank you, Doctor!” Wos paid the vaccination fees, which came to eighty dollars in total.
After leaving the animal hospital, Tom and Jerry both felt like they had survived a disaster.
They looked at each other, then burst out laughing at the same time.
Their behavior just now had really been a bit embarrassing.