Jimmy Mouse and the City Slickers.
Hello, hello!
You're listening to Jana, and welcome to Story Nori.
I'm back with another adventure about Jimmy Mouse.
This is an up-to-date tale based on an ancient story.
When you live in a comfortable place by the seaside, you can expect to have no shortage of visitors.
And the cafe by the sea, where Jimmy lived under the floorboards, was no exception.
One evening, when the cafe was closed, Two visitors found their way in through a gap under a window that was so small you would never guess that anything larger than an ant could sneak through.
Jimmy Mouse saw them sniffing around looking for supper.
One of them picked up a crumb and showed it to his companion.
She took a sniff and shook her head.
Instead of eating it, he tossed it over his shoulder and carried on searching.
They did the same with a couple of other crumbs.
Sniff, shake head, toss.
Until they came across some pistachio cake.
I bet they can't resist that, thought Jimmy.
And he was right.
They both tucked in.
Jimmy thought this would be a good moment to introduce himself.
Hello, he squeaked.
We haven't met before.
My name's Jimmy and I live here with my family.
Oh, hello, responded the female mouse.
I do hope we're not intruding.
Nah, you're fine assured Jimmy, come and join us for supper.
We'd be honoured.
They agreed and jimmy led the way.
As they went he learnt that the two visitors were called clementine and maxwell and they had come down from the big city for a break by the sea.
He introduced them to judith who said oh, you're just in time.
We're about to have dinner with grandpa mouse, but i must warn you, it's nothing fancy.
And maxwell replied sounds wonderful.
We appreciate good, honest country food, don't we clementine?
Oh yes, said Clementine.
The constant high life can be utterly exhausting.
Dinner was laid out on an upside-down sardine tin, which made a fine little table.
There were a few neatly arranged peas, some skinny sticks of carrot, a sliver of cucumber and a generous sprinkle of pistachio cake crumbs saved from tea time.
Judith gave a nervous smile.
Of course, you're probably used to fancier food.
This is all very simple, she said.
Tuck in, tuck in, said Grandpa Mouse cheerfully.
When I was a young lad in the war, everything was rationed.
The humans didn't share a single crumb.
Anyway, what brings you to our neck of the woods?
Clementine explained that her sister had recommended the seaside town.
She had attended a school just up the road.
Oh, which school was that? asked Judith, seeming interested.
Rodent Dean, of course.
Amazing, said Judith.
I went to the very same school.
I used to hide behind the skirting board and listen in on all the lessons.
What's your sister's name?
Emily, said Clementine.
But we were best friends.
I always wondered where she'd scurried off to, exclaimed Judith.
Well, it is a small world, said Clementine, and went on to invite Judith for a stay in their apartment in the big city.
After supper, the visitors returned to the grand hotel where they were staying, tucked deep inside the mattress of a four-poster bed.
Two days later they came back to the cafe with bright eyes and big plans.
You simply must return with us to the city, said clementine, and we'll have such fun, and Emily will be over the moon to see you again.
Judith glanced at Jimmy.
He thought the trip sounded a bit scary, but he could tell Judith really wanted to go.
All right, said Jimmy bravely.
Let's go.
Mind you, called Grandpa Mouse, bring back some proper smelly cheese.
So off they went to the station.
The train bound for the big city was packed, but they managed to hop on board and found a little hiding place in the corridor between carriages.
The train jolted, whistled and set off.
After a couple of stops, a young man came and sat on the floor nearby, rummaging in his rucksack.
The mice dived behind a pile of suitcases.
But just before Jimmy's tail vanished from sight, the young man spotted it.
I'm hiding too, from the ticket inspector.
I won't give you away.
Jimmy gave a cautious nod and stayed very, very still.
At last they arrived.
It was noisy and full of fumes.
Car horns honked.
Buses hissed.
Giant boots thundered past at frightening speeds.
They managed to hitch a ride inside a black cab heading towards Clementine and Maxwell's Address.
It turned out to be a tall cream-coloured mansion block with grand windows and a front door that shone like shiny toffee.
They rose to the top floor with golden doors and music that played from the ceiling.
Finally, they slipped inside the penthouse flat through a cool metal air conditioning vent.
It was just wow!
The colour scheme was gold, black and white, and everything was gleaming.
Judith and Jimmy were speechless.
Maxwell then gave a word of warning.
The owners are on the beach in the Bahamas, but they often check in through their home security app.
There are cameras and laser beam alarms everywhere.
But don't worry, just follow us closely to avoid them.
Very carefully.
By a strange zig-zaggy route they made their way to the balcony, where they took in a panoramic view of the great smoggy city.
Ah, we're in luck, said maxwell.
Do you see what's going on?
Just beyond that wall, they saw an elegant garden laid out behind a magnificent building.
A little orchestra was playing on a stage.
The neat lawns were full of people enjoying an outdoor party.
Do you know who that is? asked Maxwell.
No, said Jimmy, shaking his head.
And even Judith, who usually knows everything, was not quite sure.
She hesitated no, it can't be.
Yes, it is.
Do you see that, jimmy?
It's the king and we are looking right down into his garden.
How marvellous.
Clementine nodded.
We always say, at least we have decent neighbours around here.
Next they headed into the kitchen and then into the pantry that was as large as some people's living rooms.
The shelves were stacked from floor to ceiling with all sorts of jars and pots with golden lids, some with handwritten labels in French.
The trouble was, most of the jars were vacuum sealed.
Most of the tins needed special keys.
And even the cheese came inside boxes tied with string.
Judith pressed her nose to a jar of macadamia nut butter and sighed.
Ah!
It's like a museum of food!
They managed to find a few things they could eat.
They collected their findings and climbed up onto the kitchen table, which was made of smooth white marble.
Judith had just settled herself beside a fragment of biscuit When Jimmy dropped a crumb.
It hit the floor with a tiny tick.
There was a low mechanical hum.
The automatic vacuum cleaner shot out from under the fridge like a startled crab.
Red lights blinking, brushes whirring and made a beeline for the crumb.
Jimmy squeaked and jumped into Judith's lap.
At the same time, the home entertainment system sprang to life.
Music blared, lights flashed and a giant screen on the wall started playing a cooking show in Italian.
Whoopsie, said Clementine, utterly unbothered.
Sorry about that, I do it all the time.
Alexa, quiet please.
Everything fell silent.
Well, said Maxwell.
Shall we move to the sitting room?
They did, but the sitting room was full of low white furniture, so spotless that it seemed to shimmer.
Clementine gently shook her head.
Yeah, we can't sit on the sofa.
The owners don't even let the humans sit there.
Best to stay on the rug.
So they perched awkwardly on a thick, fluffy carpet beneath a coffee table made of glass and chrome.
Just then, in swept a slim, sleek mouse with a silk scarf around her neck.
We've brought back a little surprise for you, Em, called Clementine.
Emily opened her eyes wide in astonishment.
Judith! she cried, gliding over.
How wonderful to see you.
She gave Judith an air kiss and barely paused for breath.
I'm terribly sorry.
Can't stay.
Must rush to a charity gala.
You know the thing.
So wonderful to reconnect.
Bye.
And with that she was gone, vanishing into an air-conditioning duct, leaving behind just a whiff of perfume.
Judith blinked.
Well, that was brief.
It wasn't long before another visitor appeared.
This time, the front door opened and the maid came in.
The mice dashed for cover under the elegant sofas.
Fortunately, the maid didn't spot any crumbs or mess.
The mice had been ever so careful not to make any.
Instead, she called out, Count Mysore!
Madam Sausage, where are you?
Judith whispered.
The owners?
Oh, no, said Clementine.
They are the Siamese cats.
When the maid came to feed them yesterday, she accidentally shot them in the master bedroom.
The maid soon heard Count Maisel and Madame Sushi meowing pitifully in the bedroom.
She opened the door and freed them.
But instead of heading straight to their silver bowls in the kitchen, the expensive cats started to prowl around the house.
It seemed that they had smelt the presence of little visitors.
''Oh, I'm terribly sorry,'' said Maxwell.
''I think it would be safer for you to head off now.''
No problem, said Jimmy.
Thanks for your hospitality.
Yes, it's been lovely.
You've been ever so kind, said Judith.
The honour is all ours.
Do come again soon, said Maxwell.
And as soon as the coast was clear, Jimmy and Judith scampered into the air conditioning vent and ran down all the stairs to the ground floor.
They hopped on a red bus for the station and were just in time to catch their train back home to the seaside.
They found a safe place to hide in the luggage rack.
There were even a few crisps they could nibble on on the way back home.
You know what? said Jimmy.
The High Life is all very well, but I can't wait to get back to our simple home.
Oh, me too, Jimmy, said Judah.
I just hope Grandpa isn't too cross that we forgot to bring him some fancy cheese.
Well, I'd rather face Grandpa's disappointment than an automatic vacuum cleaner or a Siamese cat with a fancy name.
And they both closed their eyes and dreamed of hazelnut cake, warm naps by the sea and a life without laser beams, cooking shows in Italian or cats called Count Maiso.
