Cartel Cats: Know Your Rights
Chapter Nineteen: Don't Let Petty Win
It was a rainy afternoon in Pawloma, and tension was thick in the air. Barbara Sanders found her crew in the alley, voices raised, tails puffed, arguing over something so small she could barely keep track.
Rico threw up his paws.
"That's it! I'm done with all of you!"
Sneezy Lila snapped back,
"Fine! Who needs you anyway?"
Barbara stepped between them, her voice calm but strong.
Barbara:
"No one breaks without a reason. No one falls without a fight. Before you walk away from each other, ask yourself—what are you really mad about? Is it really about the spilled milk, the missed call, the sideways look? Or is it something deeper—something that's been weighing on you for a while?"
Scene 1: The Real Reason
Mama Patch gathered the crew on the porch.
Mama Patch:
"Sometimes, we let life pile up until it's too heavy to carry. We get tired, frustrated, and we look for someone to take it out on. But most of the time, the person in front of you isn't the real problem—they're just the closest target."
Sleepy Sal nodded,
"I've lost friends over stuff that didn't even matter. Looking back, I wish I'd stopped and asked myself why I was really angry."
Scene 2: The Danger of Petty
Barbara looked around at her friends.
Barbara:
"When we let petty stuff break us apart, we give the real problem a chance to win. The big stuff—the stuff that keeps us all down—loves it when we're too busy fighting each other to fight back together."
Rico sighed,
"Maybe I was just tired. Maybe I needed someone to listen, not someone to blame."
Scene 3: Holding On
Sneezy Lila wiped her eyes.
Sneezy Lila:
"I don't want to lose you guys over nothing. We only have each other."
Barbara smiled,
"That's right. When we stop coming to one another, when we let petty BS get in the way, that's when the real enemy wins. Hold onto each other. Remember why you're here. Don't let the small stuff break what really matters."
Rights Recap Song
🎶
No one breaks without a reason,
No one falls without a fight,
So before you lose a friendship,
Ask if you're really right.
Petty problems come and go,
But real friends are hard to find,
Don't let anger steal your crew—
Leave the little stuff behind.
We all only have each other,
That's how we make it through,
When we stand together strong,
There's nothing we can't do.
🎶
Spoken Outro (Barbara)
Next time you're ready to walk away,
ask yourself:
Is this really about them,
or is it about something else?
Don't let the big problems win
by letting the small ones break you apart.
We only have each other—
so let's hold on tight.