Brief description: Koshka is shy and often disconnected from robust conversation. She listens, but lacks the contextual understanding that comes so naturally to others. She seems to be an innocent who shies away from the larger world and its problems. Living in her own world, she apparently lacks maturity, at least as measured by others’ standards. Her sense of time is expansive and rarely in sync with the workaday world. She is keen observer of others, deeply insightful, but she rarely speaks up, so she is roundly ignored. Koshka’s innate kindness, her enjoyment of her very special world view, causes others to believe that she is quiet and perhaps not bright. For those who take time to notice, her visual and aesthetic skills and her sense of harmony are extraordinary. So is her singing voice. Koshka takes criticism very personally. Koshka is a wonderful spirit, but she’s almost always in the background. Except when she blows something up.

 

Purpose: Koshka’s range of comprehension is limited and fragile. Originally manufactured as a prototype for a line of multicultural dolls, she is pretty and perfect. She is customizable: the toys’ gimmick was that children could change Koshka’s colors. Of course, the true Koshka is the one who is not obscured by any mask, but she is not yet comfortable facing the world “naked” (as she puts it). Racial ambiguity extends beyond skin or hair color. Her issues are suppressed; she cannot and does not respond directly; she is not wild about rejection so she avoids decisions and commitments.

Gender/Heritage: Puppet makers tried to create something really pretty with overstated social engineering intent. Koshka was the model. She hoped for fame and fortune. It didn’t work out that way.  By the way, please call her “KOHSH-ka.”

 

Physical Description: Feline tendencies. Keen observer. Soft with sharp claws. Silks and crinoline, classic fashion, always with subtle but spectacular taste.

 

Psychological: Intense feelings, superhuman ability to concentrate, wants nothing more than to shed the masks. Unsure what she’s supposed to do, so sometimes she seems lazy or disconnected. Koshka’s beliefs are in harmony with her imagined world. She does poorly with criticism and rejection, in part because she’s unsure. She’s skillfully conceals her one great secret. Koshka is illiterate. Slowly but surely, she is learning to read.

 

Fears: Koshka is afraid that she has no substance and will always be inferior to others (similarities to a Marilyn Monroe type)

 

Social: Maybe it’s best to leave her alone. Koshka demands total creative and intellectual control over her world, she is quietly curious and dreams of a different life. Lack of social ease means Koshka perceives and responds to just about every comment as personal, but she’s learning to behave differently.

 

Key Relationships: Roark understands Koshka completely. So does Moonlight, who is quietly and discreetly teaching her to read. Roark and Moonlight, and perhaps Imogen, see what others do not; in fact, they see in Koshka what she cannot see in herself. Squark knows her secrets, and taunts her, but Koshka is convinced that Squark can be trusted with her life. Naji pretends to sleep nearby to provide comfort, but her true purpose is to stand guard while Koshka reads to quietly aloud (eventually, Naji will reveal herself to Koshka and ask Koshka to teach her to read, too). Rena watches from the sidelines, and at the right moment, she’ll help Koshka find her footing through literacy and caring.

 

Place in Cafe: Not much interaction with others, mainly sits in a corner. But Koshka can be coaxed into a song. She has a beautiful singing voice (everyone understands the voice is the beauty inside her trying so hard to get out—the skins, silk and crinoline confuse Koshka and obscure her inner beauty).

 

0-to-60: When things become noisy or angry, Koshka behaves like a frightened dog. She hides under a table. But sometimes, Koshka’s insecurity manifests as blazing rage. (She’s obviously representing a scary large portion of the population.) The rage is not anger. Instead, it’s an explosion that blasts through the numbness. Koshka provides our path from crappy status quo through destruction and eventual renewal. Koshka doesn’t know why she feels the need to physically blow things up from time to time, but other characters find this habit most entertaining.

 

Accessory Characters: None.