Fat Cat In All His Glory

The background and first chapter of this story "A Love Story - Little Doll and Fat Cat" begins on the July 21st posting.

Hello!

When we left our story, Little Doll had just finished painting the nose for Fat Cat in a lovely pink color. She had done the painting all by herself and was very proud of the results. And because she had painted it so neatly, I asked her if she would also like to paint the inside of Fat Cat's ears with the same pink paint. "Oh yes!" she said. "This is so exciting!" "I have drawn a line around the border of the ears as a guide for you and you will start from the center of each ear and paint up to that border. Just be careful that you do not paint past that line." "I will be very careful" said Little Doll, "I want Fat Cat to look perfect!" "Well" I said, "perfection is difficult to achieve when making something by hand, but Fat Cat will be looking good when he is complete!" "He will indeed!" said Lady G, "The pieces are finally all coming together!"

And they were. Once Little Doll had finished painting Fat Cat's nose and ears, it was time to assemble him. Soon he had his 'feet' (back paws) and tail attached and his head - with the cheeks, pink nose and ears and two black eyes - was pinned in place, as well as the front piece that would go over his round belly. These two, the head and front piece, I would begin to stitch on by hand. Suddenly red bird flew up and landed on top of Fat Cat's head, hopping up and down and twittering away. "Red bird wants to talk to Fat Cat and he needs me to translate, can you help me up please so that I can reach Fat Cat's ear? It seems to be a private issue." "No problem" I said, " here you go!" And I sat her on one of Fat Cat's shoulders where she promptly started to whisper in his ear.

After a few moments, Little Doll asked that I help her down again so that she could show Fat Cat something. "What do you suppose that was all about?" Lady G asked me very quietly while we watched Little Doll attempting to pick up one of the arm pieces still on the table waiting to be attached to Fat Cat. "I have no idea" I said, "but it must have been important. Little Doll seems to be quite taken with Fat Cat, quite beyond the making of a new project." "Here, let me help you" I said to Little Doll, who was struggling to lift one of Fat Cat's arms - which was almost as big as she was.

"Red bird noticed that Fat Cat was becoming a bit agitated" said Little Doll, "and wanted me to talk to him to see if I could find out what was bothering him. It seems that Fat Cat was concerned that the pins did not feel very secure and he worried that in time they would fall out and he could lose his head and stomach piece. Also, he was upset that he had no 'arms' (front paws) and thought that perhaps we had forgotten them! Being so large he cannot easily look down over his round stomach to see the ground, so he did not see the remaining pieces still on the table. I assured him that the pins were only temporary to hold his head and stomach piece in place and that you would now be sewing them on by hand and that his 'arms' were here on the table, waiting to be pinned and attached. "See Fat Cat, here are your arms!" said Little Doll as she held one of Fat Cat's arms in front of him. "You are not to worry, they will soon be attached and can you see also the long pieces still here on the table?" Little Doll put the arm back on the table and lifted one of the long rust colored pieces of the wool felt. "These are to be your stripes! You are going to look wonderful!" "Magnificent!" said Lady G. "You will be the most handsome Fat Cat in the world!"

And when he was all together, with all his parts attached securely and permanently, without danger of coming loose and with a 'manly' blue bow at his neck, he was. The most handsome Fat Cat in the world! (Well in our world anyway!) :<)

And so, Fat Cat was here - in all his glory. And we thought him wonderful!

On Monday, Little Doll and Fat Cat's friendship deepens - but both of them must soon leave my studio to go their separate ways. Little Doll to live with the person who had created her doll body for the Paper Bag Exchange and Fat Cat to live with my good friend Andrew.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Barbara Diane