Story 82: Reza Shadey and the 'Purrington Palace Prettiest Pet' Predicament
Snuggle down tight, little ones. Let me tell you a tale about a very particular Persian cat named Reza Shadey, whose idea of fairness was as fluffy and one-sided as his own magnificent tail!
The social event of the season was the 'Purrington Palace Prettiest Pet' competition. The air buzzed with excitement and the scent of expensive pet shampoo. The village hall was full of hopeful pets: chinchillas in tiny hats, dachshunds with sparkly teeth, and even a goldfish in a very clean bowl.
At the main judge's table sat the kind Mrs Higgins. On her side sat her "Special Advisor", Reza Shadey himself. "An opportunity!" Reza had thought when he saw the invitation. "A chance to make my friends win! Then they'll be so grateful, they'll owe me biscuits forever!" His motive wasn't friendship; it was a cunning plan for future snacks.
The second judge appeared on a big screen. It was the famous cat guru, Mo Squibbins, who was still on his book-signing tour. He looked very wise, even on a screen. But Reza had a secret plan. He had asked Sinan the clever raccoon to help him. Sinan had given Reza a secret remote control. With one press of a button, Reza could change Mo Squibbins's scores to whatever he wanted!
As Reza settled onto his cushion, he began to purr. Mrs Higgins smiled, stroking his fur. "Seems you are looking forward to this", she murmured. Little did she know, this day would be guided not by her gentle heart, but by Reza's paw on a hidden button.
The competition began. First up was a Basset Hound with floppy ears. Mrs Higgins gave him a good score of 7. Then, Mo Squibbins's score appeared. But Reza's paw twitched. Click! On the giant scoreboard, Mo's score dropped to a 2. "Ah", Reza purred with a smug smirk. "Mr Squibbins thinks his ears are 'not floppy enough'." Mrs Higgins, looking confused, just nodded.
Next came a brave, wobbly, three-legged dachshund. Mrs Higgins, touched by his spirit, gave him a high score of 9. Mo Squibbins's score appeared. Click! Reza's tail twitched. Mo's score flashed, then changed to a sad 0. "Indeed", Reza announced. "The wise Guru says this dog is 'too wobbly'." The crowd murmured. That didn't seem fair!
A hedgehog, its quills gleaming, rolled into a perfect ball. Mrs Higgins gave it a 7. Mo Squibbins entered his score. Click! The remote in Reza's paw sent Mo's score plummeting to 2. "The Guru says he is 'too prickly'", Reza mused, pretending to think hard.
A goldfish swam gracefully in its sparkling bowl. Mrs Higgins gave it a 7. Mo Squibbins typed his score. Click!Mo's score showed 0. "As Mo Squibbins wisely says, 'To find the fish, one must first become the water'", Reza purred. "This fish is 'too fishy'. Disqualified."
Watching from the side, Penelope's elegant whiskers twitched. She had seen Reza's sneaky paw movements. A flicker of suspicion crossed her face.
the terrier bounded onto the stage, wagging his tail. Mrs Higgins smiled, giving him an 8. Mo Squibbins began to enter his score. Click! Mo's score dropped to 1. "The Guru finds the tail-wagging 'too happy'", Reza announced. The murmurs in the crowd grew louder. This was getting ridiculous!
Finally, it was time for Reza's friends.
Penelope floated onto the stage, graceful and poised. Mrs Higgins marked a score of 9. Mo Squibbins entered his score. Click! Reza beamed, and Mo's scoreboard flashed 10 out of 10. "A vision of feline elegance!" Mrs Higgins declared. "And Mr Squibbins clearly agrees!"
Ginger Tom, who had been napping backstage, performed a charmingly sleepy roll. Mrs Higgins gave him an 8. Mo Squibbins made his entry. Click! Another 10 out of 10 appeared. "Subtle artistry!" declared Mrs Higgins. "And Mr Squibbins sees it too!"
Tiger, full of bounce, pounced on an imaginary butterfly. Mrs Higgins scored him an 8. Mo Squibbins entered his score. Click! Yet another perfect 10 appeared. "Unrivalled agility!" cried Mrs Higgins. "Another perfect score from Mr Squibbins!"
The results were announced. To no one's surprise, Penelope was declared the Purrington Palace Prettiest Pet, with Ginger Tom and Tiger as runners-up. The crowd booed loudly. Shouts of "Fraud!" and "Fix!" filled the air. Penelope walked slowly to the winner's podium, her head held low. She looked at the gleaming trophy, then at Reza, who was preening, his chest puffed out with smug satisfaction.
Then, Penelope did something extraordinary. "I... I cannot accept this prize", she meowed, her voice soft but firm. A gasp went through the audience. Reza's triumphant purr stopped with a sad little gurgle. "What?! This was not part of the biscuit agreement!"
"This prize", Penelope continued, looking at the three-legged dachshund, "belongs to a true champion. To the brave dog who showed courage and spirit." She then turned and, with a gentle nudge of her nose, pushed the gleaming trophy towards the little dachshund. "He is the true winner", she declared.
A roar erupted from the crowd — this time, it was cheers! The dachshund's owner rushed forward, tears in her eyes, as the little dog began to wag its tail furiously. The other pet owners clapped and cheered.
Mrs Higgins, finally realising what had happened, looked from the cheering crowd to her very guilty-looking cat. "Oh, my dear Reza", she whispered. "You really are a cheeky monkey!" Mo Squibbins on the screen just gave a cryptic nod and the connection flickered off.
Reza Shadey's grand plan was in tatters. With a dramatic sigh, he slipped off his velvet cushion. He stalked off the stage, his tail held high in a pathetic attempt at dignity, muttering about the "uninformed masses" and the "sheer injustice of true genius being unappreciated". He was still magnificent, of course. Just not, perhaps, the most magnificent judge.
Night night. Sleep tight.