All posts by Licketysplit

Public service

Lately we’ve been mulling over the fact that, for the foolish, crime just does not pay. Everywhere you look, there’s some poor chump getting hauled off to the pokey. People leave evidence in plain sight, can’t seem to get their stories straight. From Makeshift Chambers of Horror to the obvious purloining of panties, we are awash in incompetence. Why, your lie is as plain as the nose on your face! Do you ever wonder “How’s a poor maroon like me supposed to make a dishonest living these days?”

We’re sick and tired of bungled dirty dealings, and we’ve enlisted a professional to help our readers: Enter Stella Nuance, the amoral Ann Landers, the deceitful Dear Abby, the Heloise of heinousness. Must we disturb the peace with our horrid proclivities? Stella says “No!”

from the vault of Stella Nuance

An open letter to Heidi Erickson, Beacon Hill Cat Lady

Ok, doll, here’s the scoop. Your business, while admirably fiendish, is simply not sustainable. Did you really think you wouldn’t get banned from Boston with a strategy that includes animals that expire so quickly? Boston’s a small town, and people have big yaps. Nothing better to do than flap their gums about your putrid pussies. The key is to move around. Try Reno, it’s a dry heat.

You definitely went wrong with your choice of venue. Why pick a small apartment in a highly populated ritzy neighborhood? You could have rented a whole triple decker in Roxbury for that kind of scratch, installed bank vault doors, sound proofing, and spritzed the whole place up and down with Skin So Soft. No one would been the wiser, and the police don’t even GO to that neighborhood. Hell, you could have even had a little shed out back.

So your choice for a lair was iffy. But you could have still pulled it off if you didn’t get lazy and stack those frozen peas in front of Princess Patty Paw. The Charles River is mere blocks away. It works for disposing of the corpses of crack whores and show cats alike! Don’t forget, weight them down! Failing that, you should have scored some embalming equipment and those pull-out morgue drawers if you really needed to keep those things around. No posh chamber of horrors is without such niceties. Or what about taxidermy? “That’s not a criminal mishap, that’s just Fluffy!”

Finally, when cornered by the authorities, don’t ever represent yourself! If you can’t get Johnnie Cochran, so what, even a public defender knows when to sit down and stand up. For cryin’ out loud, go get a haircut, a smart suit, and shut your pie hole. Lose the pancake makeup, it makes you look like you have something to hide. No one likes a frumpy villainess. Didn’t you see Chicago? Christ. I can see I have my work cut out.

Mum’s the word,

-Stella

Bodies in motion

Licketysplit

Is this week over yet? We done been busy. Our Lambchop is preparing for a transcontinental move in a few weeks, and I’ll be moving from Hip, Happenin’ Boston to thickly settled Somerville on Monday. Needless to say, we are thrilled to be able to rampage around the greater Boston area together again. It’s been a while! We’ve readied little director’s chairs and megaphones, and we’ll be donning puffy directing pants to bring all sorts of exciting developments to Vomitola.

Finally, the Beacon Hill Cat Lady is at it again. This Boston Herald article, Fur bawl: Cat woman: I’m not nuts, I just miss my kitty clan, should prove illuminating. People DO start to look like their pets! Her other Makeshift Chamber of Horrors was raided, and 52 cats were removed. There’s a sidebar on that article listing all past coverage. I’d just like to point out that they said “Deja mew.”

xxoo

Up, up and away

Why is it so freaking hard to rent an elephant in Boston? I have a wedding to plan. I was really peeved to learn that I could have had my wedding at the Franklin Park Zoo, next to the African Wild Dog Exhibit for a mere $1500. I want a do-over. I’m just sucking it up and renting a Moon Bounce instead. I can’t decide between the Econo Kastle or the Pirate Fun Bounce. Seriously, if anyone out there in reader/stalker land knows where to find an itinerant elephant in New England, lemme know.

Just…ew

Some of you have asked for more information about the “Beacon Hill Cat Lady,” Heidi Erickson. Local papers have quite a few articles detailing her bizarre streak of litigation and run-ins with past landlords and neighbors. Now she wants to get her frozen dead cats back, in case she needs to clone them. I walked by that apartment building every day for the past nine months or so and never noticed anything. Ironically, an upscale pet boutique, Fi-Dough, is also housed in that building. They are not affiliated with the cat lady in any way, and they leave free dog treats in a basket outside the door for the many people walking pets through the neighborhood. Just makes you wonder how many “makeshift chambers of horror” you walk by every day.

Since we are a two-paper town, I’m going to include both Boston Herald and Globe articles, for funny headline comparisons. See if you can guess which is which!

May 2, Cat-alog of complaints: Woman rips purr-loining of immortal mousers, Cat Breeder Fails to Appear at City Hearing

May 1, Beacon Hill cat lady files suit over police raid of apartment

April 30, Impurrfect tenant: Cat woman creates stink, Cat Breeder, Neighbors Often Clashed

April 29, Inspectors find cat ‘graveyard’ in apartment

This would be a great time to rant about people who feel the need to buy purebred animals, but I haven’t got that got kind of energy, and I’m sure no one cares. I know you all secretly want teacup poodles to fit in your Marc Jacobs tote. Basically if a breeder won’t let you come tour their facilities (which a man in one of the articles reported), that’s a huge red flag. Obviously this woman had some kind of a market for her attempts to build a better mousetrap. Look, I could write for the #$@! Boston Herald.

Bermuda triangulations

From the desk of Kitty Winn

Dear Kitty Winn,

I just got out of a relationship, and have been playing the field, so to speak. My question is, whatever happened to pubic hair?! All of the young women of my recent acquaintance have either had none, or the most miniscule of landing strips. And they weren’t even strippers!

-just curious

Dear Curious,

So let Kitty get this straight, you’ve just been allowed back onto the field after a time out, and you’re going to complain about the length of the grass? Kitty simply cannot believe this impudence! A penalty flag is in order! Would you prefer astro turf?

Kitty is also perplexed by your wording…by “young women,” Kitty assumes you mean damsels of your same age, ostensibly adult. You wouldn’t by any chance be trolling grade school yards or anything of that nature? Because that might account for your findings right there.

Antipodean grooming is really a terribly personal choice. Kitty has heard of the Brazilian this, the Flemish that, even the Flying Swede, and while she may not personally buy in, who is Kitty to tell anyone what to do?

*Kitty unleashes a tinkling peal of laughter*

At any rate, a true lady should never reveal these delicate areas to anyone not prepared to fully appreciate them, no matter what the state of the flower bed. If you were more successful pitching your woo, you might convince a lass to leave a few weeds on the lawn. Until you are able to sustain an intimate relationship, Kitty suggests that you purchase a copy of the oirginal version of The Joy of Sex if the hirsute are your thing. Now trouble Kitty no more, you insolent snip!

Taxiing to Runway 3,

-Kitty

Trading dungeons

Lambchop: oh my, we truly are damned
Lambchop: we are headed straight for a fiery pit

Licketysplit: yipes: http://www.boston.com/dailynews/118/region/City_finds_dozens_of_dead_cats:.shtml

Licketysplit: a posh fiery pit at least

Lambchop: to be assaulted by satan’s little wizards who offer us champagne that is a little “flat”

Lambchop: ACK!

Licketysplit: if you were going to rent an apartment for nefarious purposes, why not pick a more reasonably priced neighborhood??

Lambchop: is there a market for dead cats?

Licketysplit: perhaps!

Lambchop: some great boon in dead cat futures we were not aware of?

Licketysplit: the tv news last night said they suspected this was experimentation to breed a better show persian

Lambchop: YIKES!

Lambchop: I thought healthy, live animals generally entered those things

Lambchop: but its nice that they give an equal shot to those stinking and decaying

Licketysplit: at least *I* still have a chance!

Lambchop: after all, when I am a gaseous soup in my coffin, I would hate to think I can no longer be on TV!

Lambchop: you and I simply MUST have a talk show from the grave!

Licketysplit: ho ho, i will make sure your urn is polished to a fare-thee-well

Lambchop: awww, after you lovingly pile my dusty remnants in there- no pyre necessary!

Licketysplit: “my career was going so well, until my stinking hellhole of a cat tomb was discovered!”

Lambchop: her Makeshift Chamber of Horrors!

Licketysplit: “It’ll do in a pinch!”

Lambchop: i am sure she is rueing the corners she cut in the design of her chamber of horrors!

Lambchop: do you suppose they assist you in such matters at the Home Depot?

Licketysplit: “I am looking to construct a chamber of horrors, but not a shoddy one.”

Lambchop: “I need real know-how about the proper installation of duct tape, heavy plastic sheeting, burlap and sturdy rope.”

Licketysplit: “where are your higher quality trap door mechanisms?”

Lambchop: “how do i insure these meathooks will not rust or flake?”

Licketysplit: “i am looking for drainage!”

Lambchop: “i require adequate storage and composting!”

Licketysplit: “ventilation is a must, but i am concerned about sound”

Lambchop: “how can I construct a crawlspace that will really stand up to the test of time?”

Lambchop: hee, i was imagining us having a real DIY guy on our show, telling us in his dry workaday way how to build this stuff

Lambchop: that guy from this old house would do anything for a few shekels!

Lambchop: we would be handling weatherproofing and sealants and nodding sagely!

Lambchop: interrupting at just the right moments with penetrating questions like “how will this affect the health of my family? For example, a mother living in the attic”

I’d like to thank the academy

From the desk of Kitty Winn

Dear Kitty Winn,
In a few weeks I’ll be graduating from college. Normally, I skip tiresome ceremonies, but my own dear

school has sweetened the pot by offering a nice cash prize to the graduating senior with “the best literary

instincts.” Naturally, the winner is announced at the very end of graduation, so there’s no sneaking out the back if one doesn’t get it.

It’s a small class, and while I’m no Eudora Welty, I’ve written a thing or two in my day, and there’s maybe a

20% chance I’ll win. Every year, camera crews descend on the winner. Mostly, they’re from no-account local papers, but depending on what else is going on in the world that day, wire services and sometimes even TV networks pick up the story. I’m nervous, Kitty. I’ve never dealt with the papparazzi before. Please give me some pointers on how to display a heartfelt and photogenic reaction to good news, should

I receive it.

-Inkstained and eager on the Eastern Shore.

Dear Eager Beaver,

Kitty has cracked this nut wide open: you must repeat to yourself “What would Anna Wintour do?” Make sure you get your hair blown out, and wear large dark glasses. That way, even if you have to fake a smile, no one will see that the muscles around your eyes are not crinkling appropriately. And really, even if one is overjoyed, why court premature aging?

Kitty assumes that wardrobe is not an issue because you will be wearing some sort of cap and gown ensemble? In that case, focus on selecting a good pair of shoes. If they are open-toed, be sure to get a pedicure. Of course you will want a manicure, the better to grasp your oversized novelty check. You’ll want to wear a spot of makeup, to look fresh and vibrant, baptized with the dew of youth. But too much makeup could indicate you whorishly slept your way to the prize! Remove the foolish hat before being photographed.

Take a lesson from the recent Nicole Kidman Oscar speech fumbling: prepare a few gracious remarks in advance. Something along the lines of “I lead a charmed life, this is to be expected.” Or “I always knew I was better than everyone else; vindication, at last!”

All kidding aside, it is sometimes a good ruse to pretend to be choked up. You can dab daintily at imaginary tears, press your palm to your chest, and whisper “I am so touched! Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart. This award truly belongs to all of my fellow contenders, who inspired me greatly.” Note that you should not actually give them a damn cent. Also, don’t forget to thank the faculty, unless you’ve already paid them off. Should the press continue to hound you, you must smile wanly and say “Thank you again for your kind interest, but I must celebrate with my family now.” Your family will want to dump a cooler of literary Gatorade on you at that time. This could affect your blow out, but could make for a good human interest shot.

In case you don’t win, the pressure is still not off! Try not to let your face freeze into a rictus of horror at whatever illiterate cretin is selected. This is also where the dark glasses come in handy. You’ll want to give an awkward little hug. Again, don’t waste an eye crinkle on this person.

Finally, you will want to review Kitty’s Victim Tribute Photo Tips:

Kitty suggest a 3/4 view for a head shot, as it is most flattering. You should also tip your chin down, while tightening the muscles beneath it, and look upward just a bit — never directly at the camera. Kitty learned this from Princess Di, and it never fails.

Onwards and upwards,

-Kitty