THE CAT’S PLATE

Short Story – Originally from Japan

THE CAT’S PLATE

Once there was a traveler, travelling towards his destination. One his way, he found a rest-place, where there was a man selling some food and snacks. The traveler took a rest and ordered some snacks. As he was waiting for his snacks to arrive, a small cat approached him and started playing with him. He was not too fond of cats, but this cat seemed to like playing with him. After a few moments, the cat started eating from a plate which was on the floor nearby. The cat’s feeding plate was a dirty plate and seemed not to have been cleaned for months. The colour of the plate was dull gold and was certainly a metal plate and not steel, plastic or aluminum plate.

For some reason, the traveler noticed that plate and looked carefully at the carelessly lying, dirty plate on the floor, from which the cat was lapping some milk-rice pudding. He kept on watching and as the cat finished the feed, some sparkle of gold could be seen. The stall-keeper was busy inside his kitchen preparing the snacks he had ordered, and there was no one else around. The traveler took a deeper look at the cat’s feeding plate. Since no one was around, he picked the dirty plate and examined it carefully.

“Holy macro ! the plate was heavy. It could be of gold !” he thought. He cleaned some bits of dried dirt with this finger nails and examined carefully. Because of the weight and the sparkle he was pretty sure it was a golden plate and this stall-keeper is not aware of it and is using carelessly as a cat-feeding plate. He smiled to himself. How foolish of him !

He started thinking how he might be able to get hold of this precious plate. He thought that if he could somehow get this plate from the stall-keeper, he would certainly get rich by selling this golden plate. He thought, that if he asked to get the plate from the stall-keeper, he might be suspicious and not want to give it to him. So, he thought, he will offer to buy the cat at a high price and then ask him to give him the plate also. This way, he thought, the owner is sure to agree to give him the plate.

After a short while, the stall-keeper appeared with his snacks. The traveler, while eating his snacks, started talking of the stall-keeper’s cat.

“You have a cute little pussy, there,” he said to the stall-keeper.

“Yeah, this little cat is my only companions, after my wife passed away,” he replied.

“You know, my wife loves cats and she has been very lonely, since her previous cat died a month ago. In this trip, I have promised my wife, to bring her a cat, if I find one, during my trip. And here you have a lovely cat. Could you be interested in selling your cat, please, for the sake of happiness of my wife ? I know it is your only companion, but could you please agree to sell it to me ? My wife will take good care of him, I promise. You can ask any price for your cat. Please accept my request,” he forced him to accept to sell his cat.

“Oh, sir, you put me in a difficult position. I don’t want to really sell this cat. I talk to him, when I am alone. He has been like a kid to me. But if this cat will make your wife happier, then I might accept to give you…though it’s difficult for me.”

“Oh, thank you so much. Now please tell me how much you want for your cat. I can give five thousand for his cat.”

Paying five thousand was a high price for the cat, but he thought, if he can lure him by giving him some extra money, he will certainly sell the cat and happily give away the golden plate.

But the owner was reluctant. He was not interested to sell for five thousand rupees. He said, “ There was a man who wanted to buy this cat for seven thousand rupees, last week, and I did not sell it.”

“Okay, I can give you ten thousand rupees, and that’s all I have with me now. Are you willing to sell your cat for ten thousand rupees, for the sake of my wife’s happiness, please ?”

“Well… okay then. It’s a very hard decision for me. But I believe this cat give your wife much happiness. So please take him and take a good care of him.”

The traveler was happy inside that he was successful in persuading him to sell him the cat.

Now his real strategy was to get the plate, now that he has got the cat. So he told the stall-keeper. “Thank you, Dai. Both me and my wife will take good care of this pussy. You don’t worry about it. Now some cats will not eat if we change its feeding plate. So, I am sure you will not mind if I take that old feeding plate. I will warp it in a piece of paper and take it with me. Okay Dai ?” he asked.

“Oh, Bhai, Sorry for that !! That plate I cannot give you!!. Because of this Plate, I have sold 5 cats within this month. So please take the cat, but not the Plate.”

           
         The traveler was shocked to hear this!! And was ashamed of how he failed with his strategy and how the stall-keeper had out-smarted him !!!

THE END