The author would like to thank Louise for her support and James Field for his proof reading.
Note to reader - if you appreciated this short story please, if you are able, make a small donation to a charity of your choice.
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Mouse Moonwalk
Rolo sat transfixed, his tail gently swaying in time with the slightly built rock star gyrating on the screen.
‘I don’t see what all the fuss is about.’ Squeak sighed.
Rolo stared at the film.
Squeak leaned in front of him. ‘Are you listening?’
Rolo peered around Squeak.
Squeak huffed. ‘Well if you don’t want to talk, I’ll go back to the den.’
Rolo didn’t notice Squeak disappear as he leaned towards the screen. ‘His dancing is fantastic! I wonder how he does it.’ He scratched his head then clicked his paw. Slowly he raised himself up on his hind legs, shuffled backwards along the hanging rail and promptly fell over the edge, only just managing to grab hold of the frame. Panting he heaved himself back up to safety. ‘That didn’t work.’ Rolo rubbed his chin then he eyes lit up. ‘I’ll try the internet.’
Rolo sat at the computer screen tracing the words with his paw. ‘Moonwalk: an illusion creating the appearance of the dancer gliding backwards. Initially, the front foot is held flat, while the back foot is in a tiptoe position. The flat front foot is slid lightly and smoothly backward past the tip-toe back foot. Then the front foot is lowered flat, while the back foot is raised into the tiptoe position. These steps are repeated creating the illusion the dancer is being pulled backwards by an unseen force while trying to walk forward.’
Rolo went through the instructions again and again, his mouth moving as he read. He twitched his whiskers. ‘I’ll give it a go.’ He got on to his hind paws and shuffled backwards one step then fell into a heap. ‘Drat.’ Over the next few hours he read and re-read the instructions and tried unsuccessfully to do the moonwalk. All the time he chanted Roger’s mantra. ‘If at first you don’t succeed try and try again.’
Rolo got back on to his rear legs and tried again, but ended up on his backside. ‘I need some help.’ He stroked his tail. ‘Louise wouldn’t be interested, Roger wouldn’t be much use and Froggy isn’t around.’ He puzzled for a few moments. ‘I’m not going to ask Squeak, he’ll just be all smug just like with the card trick.’ Rolo thought back to Squeak’s card trick, Rolo couldn’t understand it, but Squeak had confidently told Louise, ‘Any idiot could find the Queen’. Rolo shuddered then brushed his ears. He smiled. ‘I bet there’s an on-line video that will help me.’
Ten minutes later Rolo was engrossed by images of a man demonstrating how to moonwalk. Rolo spent all night practicing then finally managed a few steps. He slumped to the floor exhausted. ‘I did it. I’m going to practice and practice until I get it right.’
Three weeks later Rolo was ready to show off his new skill. He saw Roger on the theatre roof and called out, ‘Look at my new trick.’
Roger watched as Rolo got up on his hind legs and did a perfect moonwalk. ‘That’s amazing. How did you do it?’
Rolo grinned. ‘It just took a bit of practice. It’s what the singer in the film did.’
Roger flapped his wings. ‘I’m going to find Louise, Squeak and Froggy so they can see your fancy dancing.’
Soon the gang was assembled and Rolo went through his dance moves.
Louise wiggled her hips. ‘That was fantastic how did you do it?’
Froggy nodded. ‘That was really good.’
Rolo beamed.
Squeak snorted. ‘It’s just a dance routine.’
Rolo’s smile disappeared, his ears dipped and shoulders sagged.
Froggy scrunched his nose. ‘I think it’s good. If it’s so easy why don’t you show us?’
Squeak got up on his hind legs. ‘I will.’ He tried to move backwards tripped over his paws and landed on his bum.
Froggy, Louise, Roger all laughed. Then Rolo sniggered.
Froggy patted Rolo on the back. ‘There is only one mouse with enough brains to do the dance trick properly and that’s Rolo.’
Roger flapped his wings. ‘Hear hear.’
Rolo beamed again.
Squeak flushed. ‘It’s just a silly dance trick. I’m going back to the den!’
As Squeak scuttled away, Louise said, ‘I think it’s a very good trick. You‘re so clever!’
Squeak huffed as he disappeared. A childhood memory of his mother forgetting the runt of the litter when they moved den forced itself into his mind. His eyes became damp. ‘I don’t mean to be bossy. I just want to be noticed.’
Rolo mumbled, ‘Why does he always have to try and be right. Everything I do he puts down.’ Then he did a moonwalk and everyone cheered.
Rolo thought, ‘I can’t believe I’m actually good at something. It took a lot of effort, but it was worth it.’
For the next few weeks Rolo practised his trick every day, honing his skill. Every time he met Roger on the roof, he demonstrated his routine and Roger flapped his wings in appreciation.
One day Rolo was practising in the theatre foyer, while searching for toffee coated popcorn, when the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He swung round. The theatre usher stood open mouthed with a mobile phone in his hand.
They stared at each other then the usher mumbled, ‘That mouse is doing a moonwalk. Man this is going on the web!’
Rolo scampered away.
Next day Rolo and Roger were sitting on the roof, talking about the usher. ‘It was really weird he was just standing there staring at me.’
‘He was probably just impressed with your dancing.’
Rolo smiled.
Suddenly the air was filled with the sound of thousands of people chanting, ‘Mouse Moonwalk. Mouse Moonwalk.’
Rolo peeked over the edge. Someone in the crowd shouted, ‘There he is!’
The crowd cheered and Rolo gasped, ‘What do we do?’
Roger ruffled his feathers. ‘Why don’t you show them your dance?’
‘But Squeak says we should avoid people.’
Roger flapped a wing. ‘Squeak isn’t always right.’
Rolo leapt onto the roofs ledge and did the best moonwalk ever. The crowd went wild. Thousands of cameras clicked and lights flashed. Rolo puffed up his chest and danced as though his life depended on it. An hour later Rolo was exhausted. He waved goodbye to the crowds and staggered back to the den.
Squeak and Louise were cowering in a small box. Squeak asked, ‘What was all that noise?’
‘It was my fans. They’ve been cheering my moonwalking.’
Louise slunk out of the box. ‘What! You mean there was nothing to be scared of?’ She glared at Squeak. ‘You told me we had to hide!’
Squeak flustered. ‘It’s not a good idea to let people see us. They think we’re vermin.’
Rolo swaggered. ‘They may think you’re vermin, but they love me.’
Squeak shot Rolo a dismissive glance. ‘We have a good life. We don’t want anything to ruin it.’
‘You mean you don’t want anything to upset the way we live, the way you’re always in charge telling us what to do.’
‘I’m just concerned for all of us.’
‘No. You’re jealous because I’m good at something and you’re not. For once you’re not the centre of attention.’
‘That’s not it at all. People always cause us problems.’ Squeak felt a stab of pain in his heart as an image of his poisoned
mother’s dead body filled his mind. ‘They’re dangerous.’
‘Not to me. They love my dancing.’
Squeak and Rolo glared at each other.
Louise piped up, ‘I think it’s good Rolo can show his talent and be appreciated.’
Squeak huffed. ‘It will end in tears.’
Rolo beamed at Louise. ‘Let’s go up to the roof and you can see my fans.’
Two days later the theatre manager was rubbing his chubby little hands with glee. ‘Business is booming. I’m selling thousands of ice creams and hot dogs a day.’
The usher shrugged. ‘You’re not the one doing all the serving.’
The manager waved away the usher’s concerns. ‘What are you worried about? You’ll get some extra money.’
The usher mumbled under his breath, ‘Not as much as you’ll make.’
‘What did you say?’ Snapped the manager.
‘Nothing.’ Sulked the usher.
The manager patted his fat tummy. ‘We could make more money if we had that mouse performing on demand.’
‘How could we do that?’
The manager clicked his fingers. ‘We’ll catch it and make a fortune.’