It was the start of a new week, and Tom and Jerry had released ten new episodes. Daniel lounged on his sofa, a can of Coke in hand, legs propped up. Watching the latest episodes of Tom and Jerry had become a part of his weekly routine.
With its endless creativity, comical exaggeration, high production quality, and fitting background music, Daniel was convinced this show was a timeless masterpiece. He figured he could easily watch it over and over again without getting bored.
The familiar opening theme played, and the roaring lion mascot from Picca Comics flashed on screen. The episode began, and Daniel eagerly settled in to watch. As usual, it had all the things he loved: imaginative gags, perfectly timed music, and funny, detailed animation. But when he reached the seventh episode of the batch, he was caught off guard.
This episode's title was The Melancholy Cat.
But as Daniel watched, he realized it was more like The Desperate Cat.
The episode began with Tom lying on the railroad tracks, looking miserable, his eyes red and swollen. Daniel couldn't imagine what could have happened to make the usually resilient Tom look so defeated. Had he convinced himself he was terminally ill again, like in that one episode where Jerry had tricked him by drawing red spots on his face to make him think he'd caught the measles? But, as Jerry gazed down at Tom from a bridge above the tracks, a flashback revealed the real story—and it wasn't Jerry's doing at all.
In this episode, Tom and Jerry were unusually close. Rather than enemies, they were more like buddies, playing games, sharing drinks, and eating together like a little family. But everything changed when a beautiful white cat walked past. Tom, smitten, fell deeply in love with her and quickly found himself at her mercy.
"Great, he's become a lovesick fool!" Daniel muttered, watching as Jerry tried to snap Tom out of his daze but failed.
Just as Daniel suspected, things quickly took a turn for the worse. Soon, a wealthy rival appeared. Tom tried to impress the white cat by giving her a single flower, while the rival presented a whole bouquet. Tom saved up to buy her a bottle of perfume, only for his competitor to bring an entire truckload of it. In a final, desperate attempt, Tom spent all his savings on a tiny diamond ring, but the white cat flaunted the massive diamond her rich suitor had bought her. Even after selling all he owned to buy a car, his new ride was flattened when his rival showed up in a flashy Ferrari.
"What a tragic cat!"
"Man, this is too real! He's just like those 'hopeless romantics' today!"
"See? Sometimes loving too much just gets you nowhere!"
Fans online couldn't help but laugh, but many also felt pangs of empathy for Tom. Some even started sharing their own stories of unrequited love. By the end of the episode, Tom had spiraled into depression, drinking heavily and looking completely lost. Hopeless, he tried to drown himself in the river, but Jerry managed to save him just in time. But then, to make matters worse, Tom's rival drove by with the white cat in the passenger seat, both dressed in wedding attire.
Tom's heartbreak hit him so hard that he returned to the railroad tracks, ready to end it all. Jerry, watching from the bridge above, pitied Tom but was also grateful for his own girlfriend, confident she'd never leave him.
"Wow, way to tempt fate!" Daniel laughed, though he still felt bad for Tom.
Sure enough, a moment later, Jerry was splashed with water as a speeding car drove by. Sitting inside was his girlfriend, dressed as a bride, and her new husband.
Daniel chuckled, but beneath the humor, the episode hit him with a real sense of sadness.
"Wow… this story is way too real."
Tom's earnest love, his sacrifices, and even his rivalry had all been genuine—but, in the end, they couldn't compete with his lack of money. Sadly, adult relationships often required more than just feelings; financial security was important, too. Sometimes, people from different worlds were just too different to be together.
Daniel thought of a friend of his who had been going through something similar, pouring time, energy, and money into a girl he'd been trying to win over for over a year. But so far, his efforts had gotten him nowhere. This friend had practically become an ATM for her.
Feeling both thankful for his own loving girlfriend and concerned for his friend, Daniel decided to give him a call. Maybe this episode would help him see things more clearly.
"Hey," came his friend Tao's voice on the other end of the line.
"Hey, Tao. You should watch this week's episode of Tom and Jerry. It's a real eye-opener, especially if you're feeling low. At least you haven't spent a ton of money yet!"
There was a pause before Tao replied quietly, "Yeah… I saw it. And I get it."
"Really? I'm glad to hear it!" Daniel said, relieved. "Don't worry, man. There are plenty of fish in the sea, and someday, you'll find someone who loves you for you."
There was silence on the other end for a moment.
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