From the Melville Cat:
Heather enjoys animal-inspired art. She has a beaded giraffe, for example, as well as a clay porcupine.
But until recently she did not have any art inspired by the most important animal in her life: me.
I’ve been dropping hints about this omission for years — by sleeping on Heather’s art books and refusing to admire the beaded giraffe despite multiple prompts.
Apparently my hints finally worked. Last week Heather came home with this:
My beaded likeness. I’ve named him Melville Cat Deux.
I didn’t think much of my beaded likeness at first. After all these years of waiting, I suppose I’d lost interest in the idea. Also his front legs are a bit short.
Ho hum.
But then I took a closer look at Melville Cat Deux and realized his resemblance to me is quite remarkable.
We have a similar posture.
A man named Shepherd made Melville Cat Deux. Shepherd makes a living creating beaded animals on Melville’s 7th Street. He has sold Heather several beaded animals in the past.
Shepherd with Melville Cat Deux.
Shepherd has been making beaded animals in Melville for many years — longer than Heather can remember — but he has never made a cat before. Heather also says she has never seen another beaded cat, despite meeting many bead artists over the years.
It’s possible Melville Cat Deux is the first-ever beaded house cat in Johannesburg.
I’m not sure why Deux’s eyes are red, while mine are yellow. I supposed this is Shepherd’s artistic interpretation of me.
He might look like me. But he can’t yawn like me.
I couldn’t help but flaunt my yawning a bit more. It was a subtle reminder to Heather that although Deux looks like me, he is NOT me and he never will be me.
Lack of yawning prowess aside, I’ve become fond of Melville Cat Deux.
Shepherd told Heather he is going to make more beaded cats from now on. If you would like to commission a feline likeness of your own, find Shepherd at the corner of 7th Street and 3rd Avenue in Melville. He is also reachable on WhatsApp at +27-73-179-1351.
I had two cats. Now I have one. MEAIOU was a copy cat. He sat next to the computer when I wrote. NEWCAT arrived recently to be with the Cyc-Ou. Then he lost an eye so he
got a new identity. He is now the Cyc-Ou’s Cyclops
Sounds like quite an interesting household.
I HATE TO ADMIT THIS, MC, BUT THIS IS A VERY CUTE IMPOSTURE AND COULD BE AN AWESOME COMPANION WHEN THE OWNER (S) ARE AWAY. SP. (SANDY PAWS!)
You’re quite right, Sandy Paws. I send you my best.
The red eyes threw me for a minute. I thought it was a possum. Then I remembered they don’t exist in Africa.
No replica can do you justice, of course.
What is a possum?
A rodent-like creature (only I think it’s a marsupial, and it carries its young around) that’s grey with tunnelish kind of snout and eats rotting fruit. Very good for cleaning up the garden. They are nocturnal. Most cats ignore them.
Most dogs don’t.
I would most definitely ignore them.
ROFLMAO!
Shepherd looks lovely man though:-)
Heather says he is very nice.
Is there a guy at 4th st still making beaded animals, we used to stay near there
Yes! Pretty much all the same guys are there 🙂
Love these posts about Melville!
You were one of his first fans ????