Magical Mr Mistoffelees | Flash Post 402

“And we all say:
Oh! Well I never! Was there ever
A cat so clever as magical Mr Mistoffelees…..

Is that a song you’re humming?

Yes, Button, I am.

Who is this magical Mr M-is-to…..?

His name is Mistoffelees and he is a mischievous and extremely clever cat who plays the central character in the stage show “Cats.” You’ll realise he is quite a show-off too as you read on.

Have you watched the show?

Years back, Dost and I travelled to London and managed to catch the play which premiered at the New London Theatre in the West End on May 11, 1981.

And?

It just happened that many years later when the family vacationed in London, Cats was still playing and we caught the show once again with the children.

When was that?

Around the year 1988, I would think.

Which means that the play was staged for seven years at a stretch?

It closed on May 11, 2002 after 8,949 performances.

That says something.

But the reason why I remember the character is because I find Messi, our ginger cat, as clever if not cleverer and as mischievous. He’s also a show-off and, at times, even pretends at being a magician.

But he’s adorable.

I agree.

Why do you say he’s a show-off?

A few days back, as I was taking my morning stroll on the terrace, conversing with my plants, I suddenly froze. To my horror, I found him precariously balancing himself on the wiry thin rails installed for the ivies with several ravens cawing away and providing the background music as Messi strutted ahead confidently. Even a trapeze artist would be put to shame. He seemed fearless and didn’t even see or hear me as I pleaded with him to climb down.

I also remember that incident where he hid behind one of the statues in the living room and flew at you rather late at night with the intention of scaring you.

And I did get scared because it was so sudden!

The incident last week, when he had us all disperse in different directions looking for him, had us sighing in relief when he  emerged from the pram like Adonis looking cool and rested. The other prank is the one where he tries to pull the mat on which his bowl of food and water is placed and, in order to draw attention of those already asleep, tugs at it to the absolute edge of the table intentionally and proceeds to watch it crash on the floor with a poker-straight face.  By this time, the other three occupants are sitting up in bed trying to figure what just happened!

Incidentally, Messi is also a great parkour artist and keeps us all entertained round the clock.

You’re talking about the time when his sharp eyes catch the tiniest movement and he suddenly scrambles up the wall and looks over his shoulders to check if he is the centre of attraction and proceeds to show-off his antics by scrambling up the sides of sofas and jumping over any obstacle in his path unhindered and at breakneck speed.

Didi almost broke her neck a couple of months back when a biggish suitcase stacked on top of her wardrobe fell to the floor. Looking up, she found Messi grinning down at her as if nothing had happened.

Are there more?

Oh! Plenty. But the latest one was when he managed to wean his way inside a pocket of didi’s bathrobe swinging away merrily when she made her entry. Seeing didi, he desperately tried to jump out but in the process got his nails so badly entangled in the fabric that he had to be rescued.

Can you sing a little more of the song please?

He is quiet and small
He is striped brown
From the ears to the tip of his tail
He can creep through the tiniest crack
He can walk on the narrowest rail.

And all we say:
Oh! Well I never! Was there ever
A cat so clever as magical Mr Mistoffelees!