A pink cat? On your doorstep?
the school mistress says.
Late for class, the third time this week!
What is to become of you?
But - I insist - she was pink indeed. And hungry!
Nonsense, says the school mistress.
What else did you see on your way here?
A blue dragon perhaps?
An orange crocodile behind the boxwood hedge?
Or maybe a yellow elephant?
(someone is laughing)
No, I reply, nothing like that.
Just a little pink cat. Quite hungry.
On my doorstep.
One hour detention, right after lunch
For being late again! says the mistress.
Now off to your desk!
A pink cat, duh! someone whispers.
Right behind me. I don't mind.
Today it feels difficult to count until thirty-two.
To write about daisies, to draw a fire engine.
To sing ring-a-ring-o' roses.
One hour, then two,
But the big hand of the school clock
Doesn´t move.
And then it happens:
I start to chuckle.
First a little bit. Then a little more.
Until I break out laughing.
Because under my desk,
between an apple core and my maths book,
The little pink cat is sitting and
tickles my tummy
Not my fault, really.
But the face of the school mistress turns red first.
Then blue, then orange.
And yellow in the end.
With pen at the ready,
She opens my homework book:
Oh dear, my father sighs
in the evening, when he reads the letter.
And with a severe look he says:
Next time you should ask your little pink cat
To tickle the school mistress instead.
I really think she should laugh more often.
Will do, I reply.
And then I say good night.
***
A 50cm custom doll for Audrey's 4th birthday, made back in Spring (I have a lot of doll photos to edit still and will post them little by little).
Audrey´s mother wrote me a lot about her little girl and did also tell me about a pink cat, her daughter's favourite soft toy. Without doubt - I had to make a pink kitten for Audrey's doll!
I very much love the soft nuances of the pink and dusty yellow. The latter is Audrey's favourite colour, and her new friend travelled to California with an additional set of clothes (not pictured) to which I added dashes of cyclamen and bright orange.
All photos have been taken on a sunny sunday afternoon at Skolmuseet i Höör, a beautiful village schoolhouse in Höör, Sweden, now a museum. I very much enjoyed the two hours I spent there - and so did the warden who allowed me to use a lot of the pretty vintage objects as props.
If you are visiting Skåne with your kids, this little museum definitely is worth a visit.
Warmly,
Juliane
