# A little explanation, please **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 24, 2001, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-explanation-please/51621 "2001-01-24T21:59:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lyllyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@Lyllyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lyllyan)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-explanation-please/51621/21 "2001-01-25T20:12:14Z")
I received a reply from Mr. Brooke McEldowney… **Subject: Re: Contact Brooke McEldowney To: [lyllyan@yahoo.com](mailto:lyllyan@yahoo.com) I took a look at the message board (which I’d never seen before) to catch up with the thread. To explain: The picture contains no gag at all. In my strip, I occasionally draw ballet subjects strictly for the aesthetics of doing it. I have gotten in the habit of adding Solange, the cat, just as a returning theme. I started drawing ballet-theme cartoons with no gag in particular a few years ago - especially pictures involving the merging of black upon black, for strictly compositional purposes. (I like to see how implied shapes emerge where only black can be seen.) I got a number of letters about this one, mainly to the tune that the writers liked the image. I can see from the thread on Straight Dope that it led a lot of people to wondering what I was trying to communicate. Possibly the cell phone started the mind searching for what, in fact, isn’t there. One of the people posting to the thread called it dumb. Perhpas that’s the best assessment. Thanks for your note. I hope this helps. Brooke McEldowney 9 Chickweed Lane** ---
**Author:** ![The\_Thief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@The\_Thief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Thief)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-explanation-please/51621/22 "2001-01-25T20:38:15Z")
I’m not buying that answer. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2001, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-explanation-please/51621/23 "2001-01-26T05:54:49Z")
I just saw this thread, and I was panting to give my explanation. “ **Nighthawks**!” I thought. “Is the cat a real cat or a reflection?” Guess not, if that letter is authentic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-explanation-please/51621.md?page=1)