A gang of kids find a strange house with an overgrown garden where they play. Only once do they meet the man who lives there, a dead-beat alcoholic with a free and easy spirit who welcomes them. The children see him as a romantic character in stark contrast to their neurotically house proud parents. <br />A collaboration between Animator Jonathan Hodgson and Illustrator Jonny Hannah. <br />when we were kids <br />there was a strange house <br />all the shades were <br />always <br />drawn <br />and we never heard voices <br />in there <br />and the yard was full of <br />bamboo <br />and we liked to play in <br />the bamboo <br />pretend we were <br />Tarzan <br />(although there was no <br />Jane). <br />and there was a <br />fish pond <br />a large one <br />full of the <br />fattest goldfish <br />you ever saw <br />and they were <br />tame. <br />they came to the <br />surface of the water <br />and took pieces of <br />bread <br />from our hands. <br /> <br />our parents had <br />told us: <br />“never go near that <br />house.” <br />so, of course, <br />we went. <br />we wondered if anybody <br />lived there. <br />weeks went by and we <br />never saw <br />anybody. <br /> <br />then one day <br />we heard <br />a voice <br />from the house <br />“YOU GOD DAMNED <br />WHORE!” <br /> <br />it was a man’s <br />voice. <br /> <br />then the screen <br />door <br />of the house was <br />flung open <br />and the man <br />walked <br />out. <br /> <br />he was holding a <br />fifth of whiskey <br />in his right <br />hand. <br />he was about <br />30. <br />he had a cigar <br />in his <br />mouth, <br />needed a shave. <br />his hair was <br />wild and <br />and uncombed <br />and he was <br />barefoot <br />in undershirt <br />and pants. <br />but his eyes <br />were <br />bright. <br />they blazed <br />with <br />brightness <br />and he said, <br />“hey, little <br />gentlemen, <br />having a good <br />time, I <br />hope?” <br /> <br />then he gave a <br />little laugh <br />and walked <br />back into the <br />house. <br /> <br />we left, <br />went back to my <br />parents’ yard <br />and thought <br />about it. <br /> <br />our parents, <br />we decided, <br />had wanted us <br />to stay away <br />from there <br />because they <br />never wanted us <br />to see a man <br />like <br />that, <br />a strong natural <br />man <br />with <br />beautiful <br />eyes. <br /> <br />our parents <br />were ashamed <br />that they were <br />not <br />like that <br />man, <br />that’s why they <br />wanted us <br />to stay <br />away. <br /> <br />but <br />we went back <br />to that house <br />and the bamboo <br />and the tame <br />goldfish. <br />we went back <br />many times <br />for many weeks <br />but we never <br />saw <br />or heard <br />the man <br />again. <br /> <br />the shades were <br />down <br />as always <br />and it was <br />quiet. <br /> <br />then one day <br />as we came back from <br />school <br />we saw the <br />house. <br /> <br />it had burned <br />down, <br />there was nothing <br />left, <br />just a smoldering <br />twisted black <br />foundation <br />and we went to <br />the fish pond <br />and there was <br />no water <br />in it <br />and the fat <br />orange goldfish <br />were dead <br />there, <br />drying out. <br /> <br />we went back to <br />my parents’ yard <br />and talked about <br />it <br />and decided that <br />our parents had <br />burned their <br />house down, <br />had killed <br />them <br />had killed the <br />goldfish <br />because it was <br />all too <br />beautiful, <br />even the bamboo <br />forest had <br />burned. <br /> <br />they had been <br />afraid of <br />the man with the <br />beautiful <br />eyes. <br /> <br />and <br />we were afraid <br />then <br />that <br />all throughout our lives <br />things like that <br />would <br />happen, <br />that nobody <br />wanted <br />anybody <br />to be <br />strong and <br />beautiful <br />like that, <br />that <br />others would never <br />allow it, <br />and that <br />many people <br />would have to <br />die.
