The Unknown Jellicle

Macavity

As the yard cleared, only the red and blue hews of the lights remained to comfort Deme, Bomba, and I. Munkus and Tugger, along with the rest of the toms, had gone off to find Macavity's goons, leaving us in slight panic. Deme skittered around the yard in a circle, searching for a trace of Macavity as Bomba and I made our way onto the main tire. Bomba and I scanned the amount of the yard in front of us while Deme scanned the area behind the both of us. Once the coast was clear, I could hear the riffs of a jazz piano sway through the yard as Deme started her own song. (Macavity: The Mystery Cat)

Demeter: Macavity's a mystery cat, he's called the Hidden Paw. For he's a master criminal who can defy the law. He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair, for when they reach the scene of crime Macavity's not there!

During this time, Bomba and I were stretched out along the width of the tire with Bomba pressed behind me. I watched Deme with curiosity as she had never danced like this before, only Bomba danced this flirtatiously. This also seemed to please Bomba as she watched Deme, who was like a sister to her, dance like she would. If the toms were here, catcalls would be through the roof as Deme swayed her hips to the Jazz high hat.

Demeter: Macavity! Macavity, there's no one like Macavity. He's broken every human law, he breaks the law of gravity. His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare! For when they reach the scene of crime, Macavity's not there! You may seek him in a basement, you may look up in the air... But I tell you once and once again, Macavity's not there!

Some of the other queens had lurked out from the shadows by then, but shied away from Demeter when she danced toward them. As she fell to the floor, Bomba and I took this opportunity to start our own verse of Macavity's song. As we sang, we crept down the tire and onto the main yard floor to the left of Demeter as she crouched in slight fear of the Tom we sang about.

Bombalurina and Arabella: Macavity's a ginger cat, he's very tall and thin. You would know him if you saw him for his eyes are sunken in. His brow is deeply lined in thought. His head is highly domed. His coat is dusty from neglect. His whiskers are un-comed. He sways his head from side to side with movements like a snake. And when you think he's half-asleep, he's always wide awake!

Bomba kept singing the same verse as I went to Deme's side to comfort her. Demeter would keep scanning the yard for any signs of the evil, mischievous tom we were singing about as Bomba danced around the yard.

Bombalurina: Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity. For he's a fiend in feline shape. A monster of depravity. You may meet him in a by-street. You may see him in the square. But when a crime's discovered then Macavity's not there!

Demeter then stood up along with me as we alternating singing lines at one another.

Demeter: He's outwardly respectable.
Bombalurina: I know, he cheats at cards.
Arabella: And his footprints are not found in any files of Scotland Yard's.

It was then that the three of us started to circle the yard, the queens and kittens that heard our song starting to appear from the shadows. When one of us would get close enough, they would shrink away in mock fear.

Demeter: And when the larder's looted...
Bombalurina: Or the jewel cases rifled....
Arabella: Or when the milk is missing...
Demeter: Or another Peke's been stifled!
All: Or the greenhouse glass is broken and the trellis past repair... There's the wonder of the thing: Macavity's not there!

The braver queens and kittens, including Teazer, Tantomile, Cassandra, Victoria, and Electra, slunk behind us and started to dance and sing with us.