It Was All Started by a Mouse - Chapter 18

Chapter 18


“Are you sure you have EVERYTHING?” called Lillian as she was searching for her best gloves.

“Yes, our room looked quite empty!” Walt called back over his shoulder as he was pushing a large traveling steamer trunk through the front door.  Mickey was trying to pull another piece of large luggage with not much success.  Roy was standing by the truck with his arms folded, squinting at Walt through the morning sunshine.

“Well, I can’t believe you’re really leavin’ us Walt,” said Roy sadly.  

“What can I do here? House is gone. Farm is gone-- I’ve got to start back from scratch,” replied Walt still struggling to get the trunk in the back of Roy’s truck.  After taking a small breath, he looked over his shoulder.

“I’ve got to do something else, and here is not the place, Roy.  I’ve been working with Ub Iwerks for years trying to do cartooning, but there’s more I want to do. There’s not many outlets here for our art, so I’m going to see what’s out there in California,” explained Walt.

Walt had met Iwerks back in 1919 while working for the Pesmen-Rubin Art Studio in Kansas City, Later, the two would eventually start their own commercial art business together.  They finally found work as illustrators for the Kansas City Slide Newspaper Company.  While working for the Kansas City Film Ad Company, Walt decided to take up work in animation, and Ub soon joined him.  Theirs  was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.  They spent many happy hours together at their Laugh - O- Grams Studio coming up with ads, or funny telegrams for different businesses. But again, failure came knocking on his door when the business went bankrupt.

Walt quickly unfolded a piece of paper he had in his pocket. It was the picture of the rabbit.  

“See this little fellow? Well, I’ve been in contact with Universal about him.  They might be interested in putting him on the big screen!”  I didn’t tell anyone about this, not even Lillian.  I didn’t want to get her hopes up too high…she’s had too many disappointments lately…if you know what I mean…,” said Walt sadly.  “This MUST work.  It must, Roy.”

“Are we ready to go?” asked Lillian, slipping on her gloves.

“Yes, we are m’lady!” replied Walt gallantly.

“Her coach awaits!” added Roy, adding to the royal humor of the moment.

Mickey jumped in the back of the truck where the luggage was.  He was wearing a new pair of shorts which Lillian made for him, and he didn’t want to get too dirty or get a rip in them.

After everyone was squeezed tightly into the cab of the truck, Edna came running out with a small box.

“Here are some sandwiches I made for you so you can save a bit of money on your trip out there!” said Edna.

“Oh, you are so sweet!” replied Lillian, giving her sister-in-law a kiss on her cheek.  “I will miss you terribly!”

“Don’t start to crying now, and ruin your makeup! You’re going out there where all those movie stars are! You want to look your best, dear,” said Edna softly.

“Best wishes…”

From the bed of the truck came a shrill sound.  Everybody tried to look back and smiled at Mickey.  Edna walked up to him and rubbed him between his ears.  

“I’m going to miss you too, Mickey,” she quietly.  Mickey looked at her, but didn’t quite understand why she looked or talked that way.  Some human emotions were hard to decipher.  

The trip to the train station was pretty quiet. Walt, Lillian and Roy were each in their deep thoughts.  Mickey was the only one showing excitement as he looked at the trains, people and listened to all the sounds of busy passengers loading or unloading from the trains.

“Well, here we are!” said Roy. “Time to unload.”

Walt gave a huge sigh as if to say,”It’s now or never.” He held out his hand for Lillian to daintly step out of the truck.  While she checked her purse for the tickets, Walt and Roy set their trunks to the side to be placed with the rest of the luggage.  The ticket conductor was walking along the line of people waiting to get on.  Last but not least, Roy finally handed Mickey to Walt to hold on to.  

Mickey was jittery, but it was a mixture of fright and excitement.  If only his friends could see him now!  At a train station….with humans….getting ready to go on a trip far away.  He didn’t even know where, but as long as he was with Walt and Lillian, he didn’t ask questions.  He wouldn’t know what to ask anyway!

The train conductor was still walking up and down the line of people and helping them to get settled on the train.  When he finally reached Walt and Lillian he asked about their luggage.  

“Two steamer trunks, and two small luggage, over there,” said Lillian pointing behind them.   The conductor nodded, and asked the Negro porter to start loading the bags in the luggage car. The conductor suddenly looked down and saw two round, beady eyes staring up at him.  He jumped back in shock at what he was looking at.

“SIR!  This…animal…is he…?” stuttered the conductor

“He’s with us,” replied Walt, wiping his brow with his handkerchief  which he quickly took from his pocket.  

“Is he in your act or something?” questioned the conductor.  He was used to seeing all kinds of animals from ponies to pigeons dressed as ballerinas, cowboys, or babies which were part of the many traveling vaudeville shows which criss-crossed the country.  

“Uh, no…he isn’t. He’s our…pet,” stuttered Walt uneasily.  He was hoping Mickey didn’t hear him say the word “pet.” It seemed demeaning, somehow.  Mickey didn’t seem like a “pet.” He seemed so…human, somehow.  It did dawn on him, however, that Mickey probably wouldn’t even understand what that word meant anyway.  His doubts left him when he saw the mouse look up at him and give his familiar little trilling sound again and smile.  

“Well, all pets are go into the baggage car until we get to our destination,” said the conductor with all seriousness.  The porter will take your pet and make sure he’s secure.

Another porter came up to Walt and Lillian to take Mickey away to the back of the train.  
Walt kneeled down to Mickey’s level and looked into his eyes.  Mickey cocked his head to one side.  He knew Walt wanted to tell him something important, and this was always the way he did it.  So he stood still and listened.

“Ok, pal, we are all set for a new adventure, see? You are going to go with this man to your own special car, just for animals.  Lillian and I will be up at the front.  When we get to where we are going, I’m coming for you, understand?” he explained.  

“Other animals like me?” asked Mickey.

“Yes,” replied Walt softly.

“I want to be with you,” said Mickey.  “I want to be with Lillian.”

“Well, we want that too, but we have to do what the other people tell us, Ok, buddy?  So go with the porter, and he’ll make sure you are comfortable,” said Walt.

He took Mickey’s black velvety hand and placed it in the hand of the porter.  

“See you soon, buddy!” exclaimed Walt.  Lillian waved gently with her hanky.

“ALL ABOARD!” yelled the conductor.  

“That’s us!” said Lillian.  

They both looked at Roy one more time and hugged before boarding.  Once they found their seats, they both looked out the window to see Roy still standing on the platform sadly waving good-bye.  Walt and Lillian continued to stare and wave until they couldn’t see him anymore.  

After the train was on its permanent route, the conductor came down the aisle asking for tickets.  Lillian gave the conductor the tickets which he punched and continued on.  She carefully put the tickets back into her purse, and looked over at Walt.

Walt was staring blankly out the window.  She didn’t dare to try to converse with him when he was like that. She knew that the wheels of his brain was spinning and working overtime as to what to do next.  The only thing she could do was to trust him.

He has never let her down so far…