Dear Reader,
The wire mesh is not entirely a misfortune. When I am in the New Place, I can scramble up to this roof, and trot across it to places that were impossible to explore before, most particularly a long open tube carrying some curious wires.
One evening, I was overcome by a creative impulse to turn one into a work of art. Later, I learned that it is called a line:
"Why can't I send a fax from my computer?" (That was Sweetie.)
Hun, after some time: "Shirley chewed through your fax line."
The line was all right to use for a first effort, but I felt ready to do something more complex. Then, about five or six nights later, I returned to the New Place, clambered on to the wire mesh, and found a much more robust line to chew through. Having more to work with, I did a far more artistic job on it. This larger line was a cable, as I learned in the same fashion.
"Why can't I get on the Internet?"
Hun, a while later: "Shirley chewed through your Internet cable!"
During my next foray, I discovered that the Pets had managed to put all the interesting lines and cables I had seen before out of my reach. However, they had overlooked a cable hidden among some stacks of paper on the shelves. I was able to get to it without the Pets noticing. With experience behind me, I knew that I could make a masterwork out of this cable, so I took my time gnawing through it. Perhaps I took too long. Hun heard me rustling among the papers and pulled me out, along with my work in progress. He called Sweetie in, and I learned that this line was a cord.
"Shirley's chewed half way through the cord of your electric pencil sharpener."
Sweetie demanded to know if I wanted to electrocute myself. I think that must be something that happens when you are famous. I don't know why she was so cross. Just jealous, I expect.
Sadly, that cord disappeared as well. I found that I had no more opportunities of working on my wire series, so I have decided to switch to another medium - the soft materials on the undersides of her footstool.
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