Cocking An Eyebrow: Olive Thomas & Duchess
By Julia A. Keirns
Olive Thomas stood in front of the mirror and tried to raise one eyebrow. First, she tried to raise her right eyebrow, then her left eyebrow.
Duchess the cat lay on the bed and watched curiously. Olive held down her right eyebrow with her right hand and tried to raise her left eyebrow with her left hand.
Duchess the cat raised the eyebrow whiskers above her left eye and thought how silly it was that Olive Thomas was having trouble cocking her eyebrow.
Olive Thomas saw Duchess in the mirror and went “Hmph!” indicating her annoyance at the cat.
Olive Thomas tried to touch the tip of her nose with her tongue. Duchess the cat lay on the bed and watched curiously.
Olive stuck her tongue out as far as she could, but no matter how hard she tried her tongue would not reach the tip of her nose.
Duchess the cat stuck her tongue out and licked her nose and thought how silly it was that Olive Thomas was having trouble touching the tip of her nose with her tongue.
Olive Thomas saw Duchess in the mirror, put her hands on her hips and went “Hmph!” indicating her annoyance at the cat.
Olive Thomas looked intently into the mirror and tried to wiggle her ears. Duchess the cat hopped off the bed, strolled over to the mirror and sat down near the corner. She watched Olive curiously.
Olive tried to move her right ear with her right hand, then her left ear with her left hand. She tried to wiggle both ears with no hands. Her face made many funny gestures, but no matter how hard she tried neither one of her ears would move.
Duchess the cat cocked her head sideways, looked up at Olive, then gazed at herself in the mirror. She effortlessly wiggled her ears; first the right one, then the left. She wiggled both ears. Duchess thought how silly it was that Olive Thomas could not wiggle her ears.
Olive Thomas looked down at the cat and with both hands on her hips went “Hmph!” indicating her growing annoyance at the cat.
Olive Thomas thought, “I’ll show her.” She stood in front of the mirror and placed her feet in first position. With her heels together and toes facing out, she performed a perfect plie. She glanced at Duchess and smirked.
Duchess continued to watch curiously.
Olive rose up on her toes to a full point and performed a perfect releve. She looked at Duchess and smirked.
Duchess turned away and strutted over to the bed. She was quickly losing interest in what Olive Thomas was doing. She jumped up, curled up, and continued to watch curiously.
Olive took a deep breath and performed all five of her jumps in a row. She sauteed and landed on two feet; then she did the temps leve and hopped on one foot. She leapt from that foot to the other. She gracefully performed the assemble and landed simultaneously on two feet. In conclusion she jumped from both feet and landed on one foot, ending with the sissonne. She bowed to the mirror, then turned and bowed to Duchess.
Duchess stood up with a jerk, hopped down to floor landing on all four paws at once, stuck her tail in the air as if to say “Hmph!” and left the room indicating her annoyance at Olive Thomas.
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Storybird review – “What a funny story! I love how the cat is so amused by the antics of her owner. But then is completely unimpressed at the end and just walks away. How very “cat-like” of her! Well done!” Reviewed by Skybluepurple