Under the Lamppost
By : Plato

"Plato, where are you?" Alonzo cried, trying to find his best friend. It was just a few hours before the Jellicle Ball and he was getting worried. Plato was nowhere to be found. Plato was on his way to the Junkyard when he saw Tugger leaning against a lamppost, but he wasn’t alone. Tugger was talking to Macavity. "Plato, I’m so glad you came by!" Macavity told him. "What happened to him?" he asked looking at Tugger. "He ate two small pieces of catnip and got drunk off of cream at our master’s house. I’m trying to get him to the Junkyard and need extra help." "Ok, together we can both carry him." Plato replied.

Days later, Plato was seen by Admetus wandering around Macavity’s Lair. ‘I shouldn’t let Plato know that I’m spying on him." He thought, then left for home. When Addi went to the Junkyard later that day, Munk knew something was wrong. "Admetus, is something troubling you?" "I didn’t mean to do it Munk, honest! I was just worried about my cousin. Really I didn’t…" "Wait a minute. Slow down Addi, what didn’t you mean to do?" "I saw Plato earlier today at Macavity’s Lair." Addi told him. " Ok, go on and try to stay calm." Munk requested. "I fear that he might be henching for Macavity. Why Munk?" "I don’t know, Addi. You may go rest up now seeing as you need to."

A little while later, Plato walked into the proper. "Plato, we need to talk." Munk informed him. "Not now, Munk. I’m tired and want to go to sleep." He replied back then went to his pipe and crawled in. Days followed and now Plato had a routine. He would be up at night with Macavity and sleep at the Junkyard during the day. "You need to do something about Plato now, or he will be another Macavity." Alonzo said to Munk. "I know. I’m going to do something and now." Munk replied back. He walked over to the pipe and glanced in at a sleeping Plato. "Plato, I hate to wake you but we need to talk and now." "Alright, I’m up. What do you want to talk to me about?" "Not here. Follow me." Plato followed Munk to a clearing just outside of the Junkyard. "Plato, the other day, Admetus saw you at Macavity’s Lair. Will you please tell me what’s going on?" "Nothing really, just that I feel I needed to have a little time to figure out where I belong. It seems that I feel I’m not wanted here at the Junkyard, so I went to explore around to see where exactly I fit." "I see, but you are beginning to fit in with somebody that can bring you danger." "You can’t tell me who and who not to see Munk. You’re not my father!!" Plato screamed at him. "Plato, I only want what’s best for you. I’m going to have to ask you to leave the Jellicle Tribe until you realize that your place IS here. I’m giving you three days to make up your mind. Either you change this habit and come back to the Junkyard, or fall into hatred and rage with Macavity and be forgotten by your true friends." ‘Three days to change.’ Plato thought as he watched Munk go back into the Junkyard. ‘What am I supposed to do now? If I don’t change, they’ll forget me. I can’t let that happen!’

Three days later, and Munk was waitng for Plato to enter the proper stating that he had changed. Many hours had gone by, and Munk was pacing and waiting. The rest of the tribe was also worried about Plato and began to remember times he always did something for them. Minute after minute went by, and still no Plato. Then it occurred to Munk that he might be in trouble. "Tugger, I need you to take me to where you and Macavity were when Plato came up to you." "Ok, come on." They then left the Junkyard to go to the lamppost only to find that Plato was laying underneath it gasping for his breath. "Plato, what happened?" they both screamed. "I…tried to….stop him. Honest…but he hit…me when I…said that I wouldn’t join… his family. I told him…" "Stop right there Plato, you don’t need to say anything else. You just need to save yourself from losing too much air." Plato nodded in reply and closed his eyes as he was being picked up to be carried back to the Junkyard. Upon reaching the Junkyard with an injured Plato in tow, Munk and Tugger told everyone to keep their voices down. They laid Plato down on the tire gently being careful not to make him hurt much worse. Plato’s sister and cousin, Demeter and Addi, quickly took to getting him cleaned up so that he would able to heal from Macavity’s doings.

A few days have followed after that night, and Plato was getting better. "Take it slow, Plato. Almost there." Addi whispered in his ear. "What’s the big surprise for me?" Plato quizzed back. "I can’t tell you yet." When they got into the middle of the Junkyard, Addi told Plato to open his eyes to find the biggest group of friends there waiting with lots of gifts. "Happy Birthday Plato!" "What, is that why you’ve been avoiding me?" "Yes. We’ve been trying to keep this a secret for two weeks. We’re sorry if you felt that we didn’t love you anymore." "How stupid of me, I forgot that my birthday was coming up. Thanks guys!"