1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:07,559 Don't think about it. By William W. Stewart. Tommy wasn't really a 2 00:00:07,599 --> 00:00:14,960 timid child. Sometimes he didn't understand things and was puzzled. More Often grown 3 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:19,679 ups couldn't or wouldn't understand things that were perfectly clear to him, and he 4 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:26,120 was more puzzled. Occasionally such things worried and even upset him a little. 5 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:33,240 Then Mamma and sometimes Daddy would translate bafflement in the silly adult terms and think 6 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:37,920 that he was afraid. It was that way about the hole in the closet 7 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:44,000 when Tommy was just a bit over three. Tommy wasn't really afraid. Mister 8 00:00:44,119 --> 00:00:49,039 Bhaer was afraid, and the thing did puzzle Tommy, so he asked about 9 00:00:49,079 --> 00:00:54,280 it, but he never did get any sensible or satisfactory answers, and that 10 00:00:54,359 --> 00:01:00,679 did worry and perhaps even upset him a little. But he wasn't afraid even 11 00:01:00,719 --> 00:01:04,599 before Daddy finally told him, now, Tommy boy, don't think about it, 12 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:10,000 and it won't scare you. Really, there's nothing there to hurt you 13 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:14,200 if you just don't think about it. So don't you think about it any 14 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:19,439 more. There's Daddy's big boy. This certainly was not any sort of explanation, 15 00:01:21,239 --> 00:01:23,840 but still Tommy did try hard not to think about it, as Daddy 16 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:29,640 said, and now he really doesn't think about it at all any more, 17 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:36,719 or about Aunt Martha either. The hole was in the closet in Tommy's room. 18 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:42,159 Tommy and Mamma and Daddy lived in a not very big, not very 19 00:01:42,239 --> 00:01:46,599 new frame house on the edge of the city, and Aunt Martha lived with 20 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:52,799 them. Tommy didn't, at least not yet, although there were promises have 21 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:57,120 any brothers or sisters, but he did have his own room and a family 22 00:01:57,159 --> 00:02:01,079 of his own too. It was the extra bedroom, and it had a 23 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:07,680 closet that was cramped and with no light. Tommy liked his room. It 24 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:12,680 was small, with a small bed, and it belonged to him along with 25 00:02:12,719 --> 00:02:19,400 his family of Mister Bhaer and Old Rabbit and Cooki Koala. It was also 26 00:02:19,479 --> 00:02:23,919 an easy crying range of Mama and Daddy's room and Aunt Martha's room, so 27 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:28,159 if mister Bhaer, who was the timid one, got frightened in the night, 28 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:34,479 Tommy could cry purely in mister Bear's behalf to bring help or at least 29 00:02:34,599 --> 00:02:39,919 company. Tommy and his family all liked the closet well enough too, except 30 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:44,759 for the shelf that was out of reach even from the don't climb stool. 31 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:50,360 The closet was good to hide in or play bear cave or rabbit hole, 32 00:02:51,319 --> 00:02:54,560 and fine for finding missing toys after Mamma had a spell of playing cleaning house. 33 00:02:55,960 --> 00:03:00,159 The day Tommy found the hole in the closet was the week after his 34 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:06,199 third birthday. Daddy was at work, Mamma was out chopping. It was 35 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,560 a rainy afternoon. Aunt Martha was sitting with Tommy in the afternoon television. 36 00:03:13,199 --> 00:03:15,520 He was in his room with his family, and they all agreed as soon 37 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:20,439 as they heard the television coming on strong that it would be a very poor 38 00:03:20,479 --> 00:03:24,960 afternoon to waiste on a nap. Besides, mister Bear's feelings had been hurt 39 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:30,240 by having been somewhat left out of things recently in favor of new birthday presents, 40 00:03:30,759 --> 00:03:35,639 now largely broken or tiresome. To make it up to him, Tommy, 41 00:03:35,879 --> 00:03:38,639 an old Rabbit, and Cookie all agreed to play bear cave in the 42 00:03:38,719 --> 00:03:44,319 closet. It was a nice game and going well enough, except for some 43 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:49,159 grumblings from Cookie Koala, who always wanted to argue and claim that bears lived 44 00:03:49,159 --> 00:03:54,159 in trees, not caves. But then and it was mister Bear's fault for 45 00:03:54,199 --> 00:04:00,680 wanting it darker so he could hibernate. The closet doors shut tight. That 46 00:04:00,719 --> 00:04:04,319 didn't seem so serious at first. It would only mean a scolding for being 47 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:09,159 out of bed when Aunt Martha would come to open it after Tommy hollered loud 48 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:13,800 enough. And then there was the hole in the closet, back in the 49 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:18,079 corner, next to the broken drum. They all saw it, and they 50 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:25,519 heard the ugly thing talking or thinking at them. It stretched out a part 51 00:04:25,519 --> 00:04:30,399 of itself at mister Bhaer, who was the closest. It didn't grab mister 52 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:34,519 Bhaer, but he was terrified just the same. And none of them liked 53 00:04:34,519 --> 00:04:40,360 it. They didn't like it at all. The ugly thing couldn't come out 54 00:04:40,399 --> 00:04:44,560 of the hole because the hole wasn't big enough yet, but it tried, 55 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:48,040 and it was making the hole bigger, and it kept thinking at them, 56 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:55,519 red thoughts and hungry as it tore at the edges of the hole. The 57 00:04:55,600 --> 00:05:00,879 family all looked at Tommy, so Tommy cried and yelled. Finally Aunt Martha 58 00:05:00,959 --> 00:05:06,000 heard him and came to open the door. Then the afternoon sunlight streamed across 59 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:11,680 the floor into the closet, and the ugly red thoughts from the thing pulled 60 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:16,000 back far back so you could barely notice them, and you couldn't see the 61 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:23,000 hall anymore, even though you knew it was still there, at least Tommy 62 00:05:23,319 --> 00:05:29,439 and mister Bhaer, an old rabbit, and Cooky Koala knew. After she 63 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:32,079 opened the closet door and carried Tommy from the closet to the living room, 64 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:38,319 Aunt Martha scolded. She wasn't really mad, because she had waited until a 65 00:05:38,319 --> 00:05:43,800 commercial interrupted her television program before answering the cries from the closet, But she 66 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:47,199 scolded because she was Aunt Martha, and scolding is what Aunt Martha did. 67 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:51,839 A really good cry, even one worked up strictly as a service for a 68 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:57,800 companion, takes a little time to turn off. Then, after a few 69 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:03,959 settling gulps, Tommy tried to explain, Auntie Aunt Martha, there's a hole 70 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:09,079 in the cave in the closet, and there's a thing inside of it. 71 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:13,079 He looked at mister Bhaer, whom he was holding by one foot, and 72 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:18,560 at cookie dropped by Aunt Martha on the sofa for confirmation. Then quickly he 73 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:27,079 wriggled down from Auntie's lap old Rabbit bravely. Tommy ran to the closet and 74 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:31,879 was relieved the door was open, and in the gray afternoon light, the 75 00:06:31,959 --> 00:06:36,759 hole was still not to be seen. Old Rabbit, who always had a 76 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:43,199 bad temper, was annoyed and snappish at having been left behind. But he 77 00:06:43,319 --> 00:06:46,560 was there and all right. Tommy rescued him and ran back to Aunt Martha. 78 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:54,759 It was hungry, he continued his explanation. Aunt Martha, as always, 79 00:06:54,959 --> 00:06:59,680 was difficult. Who is hungry? You shouldn't be hungry, Tommy. 80 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:02,759 You just had your lunch an hour ago. Do you want a glass of 81 00:07:02,759 --> 00:07:10,319 milk? Not me hungry? Tommy was impatient. Aunt Martha never seemed able 82 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:14,639 to grasp any idea more complex than a glass of milk or wet pants. 83 00:07:15,439 --> 00:07:19,240 Little boys, in her mind nearly always either wanted the one or had the 84 00:07:19,319 --> 00:07:25,160 other. Such things she could and did attend to with a virtuous sense of 85 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:30,360 duty done, but anything else was beyond her. Tommy, are your pants 86 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:36,399 wet? Tommy sighed in resignation, and wet as pants. It was the 87 00:07:36,439 --> 00:07:44,040 only thing to do, Otherwise Aunty would fuss and fume, accomplishing nothing, 88 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:50,160 understanding nothing for the rest of the afternoon. Ten minutes later, in dry 89 00:07:50,199 --> 00:07:58,079 pants, he finished an unwanted glass of milk. Aunt Martha, conscience appeased, 90 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:05,000 returned to soap opera. Tommy and his family napped safely forgotten played away 91 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:09,600 the afternoon, but not in a closet or even as was usual on rainy 92 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:16,680 days, in Tommy's room, instead, finding Daddy's old briefcase full of papers. 93 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:20,439 They played office in the family room, with Old Rabbit grumbling about having 94 00:08:20,439 --> 00:08:26,199 to be Miss Wixie, who drove the electric typewriter in Daddy's office. Mamma 95 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:31,800 and Daddy came home together at a bit after five. Tommy took his scolding 96 00:08:31,839 --> 00:08:35,799 about messing up Daddy's papers in good part he had expected it, but Aunt 97 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:41,279 Martha was angry about the scolding she got for letting him mild, though it 98 00:08:41,519 --> 00:08:46,559 was in retaliation. She said, Tommy, you are a naughty, naughty 99 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:50,440 boy, and for being so naughty, you must take your big bear and 100 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:54,399 your rabbit and the little bear or whatever the thing is, and put them 101 00:08:54,399 --> 00:09:00,519 away in the closet and leave them there till tomorrow. No, no, 102 00:09:00,519 --> 00:09:05,000 no, no, I won't it isn't fair. There weren't bad and the 103 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:07,080 ugly thing in the hole, and it might come out, and it's hungry, 104 00:09:07,159 --> 00:09:13,960 and my family is all afraid Tommy. Aunt Martha's voice was sharp. 105 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:18,000 You stop that nonsense and put your toys. Wait, wait up now, 106 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:22,840 said Daddy, who also lived in the grown up world, but who sometimes 107 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:28,200 tried to understand things. What is this about a hole in the closet? 108 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:35,320 What about something being hungry? That's all, said Tommy. The ugly thing 109 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:39,240 in the hole in the closet, It is hungry. There was more to 110 00:09:39,279 --> 00:09:43,120 it than that, of course, But how could a thing like that be 111 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:48,519 explained through a wall of grown closed minds. There was the hole in the 112 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:54,279 closet. You couldn't exactly see it, You could only sort of feel seeing 113 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:58,720 it. And the hairy thing, at least, it seemed harry and shapeless. 114 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:03,960 We're having any different shapes and a mouth and sharp teeth. And it 115 00:10:05,039 --> 00:10:09,559 had reached out with something and touched mister Bhaer and would have eaten him too, 116 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:13,399 if he had blood. But then it had pulled back from mister Bhaer, 117 00:10:13,879 --> 00:10:20,600 and red hunger thoughts came stronger and stronger even now stretching out from the 118 00:10:20,639 --> 00:10:24,600 hole where it was hidden in the closet. Tommy could feel the reaching, 119 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:30,600 greedy thoughts, but he couldn't explain all that there is a hole in the 120 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:35,279 closet, Tommy said again, But he knew that not even Daddy would understand. 121 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:41,759 Of course Mamma wouldn't. Not mamma, who was loving but very busy, 122 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:48,159 and just sat so often dreaming or listening to Baby's sister that they said 123 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:52,559 was in her stomach so big and fat now as to leave little lap room. 124 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:58,679 Mamma was too occupied looking inward to look out much of Tommy. Daddy, 125 00:10:58,919 --> 00:11:01,759 to give him credit, was nearly always will in the look, but 126 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:07,240 there were so many things he couldn't see. Still, Tommy had to try. 127 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:11,720 The ugly thing in the hole, it wants something to eat, Oh 128 00:11:11,799 --> 00:11:18,360 Tommy, such horrible nonsense, that was mamma. She wasn't even going to 129 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:22,960 think about it. It is a question sometimes whether Baby's sisters are worth all 130 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:28,200 the bother in the trouble Now, Tommy, Daddy was being helpful. You 131 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:33,120 say there is a hole in your closet, and that there's something in the 132 00:11:33,159 --> 00:11:39,960 hole, well sort of really, the ugly thing wasn't so much in the 133 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:43,840 hole as on the other side of it. But that was close enough, 134 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:50,320 all right. Then, Tommy, suppose you show it to me. What 135 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:56,240 show me the hole, Tommy? Now, yes, the hole in the 136 00:11:56,279 --> 00:12:01,919 closet, Tommy. Yes, Daddy wasn't going to work out anything good, 137 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:05,919 and Tommy didn't want to go back to the closet and close the closet door. 138 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:09,879 Anyway, The thing didn't eat mister Bhaer because mister Bhaer didn't have blood, 139 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:16,919 but Daddy had, and Tommy they went to the closet at least if 140 00:12:16,919 --> 00:12:22,519 he was risking a Daddy, Tommy thought he was protecting mister Bhaer and the 141 00:12:22,519 --> 00:12:26,840 others. Now, where's this hole, Tommy? Over there by the corner, 142 00:12:28,639 --> 00:12:33,039 Tommy pointed. Daddy went into the closet. The look. Tommy started 143 00:12:33,039 --> 00:12:37,240 to close the door. In the black dark, Daddy would see what Tommy 144 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:41,919 meant about the thing in the hole from the outside. Tommy started to close 145 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:46,000 the door. It was a small closet and hardly big enough for both of 146 00:12:46,039 --> 00:12:50,559 them. Tommy, what are you trying to do? Open that door? 147 00:12:52,639 --> 00:12:56,840 But after all, the hole wasn't there, or scarcely seemed to be there 148 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:03,720 except in the dark. Open it up wider, m I believe I do 149 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:09,480 see. Wait till I get my lighter, say by George, I believe 150 00:13:09,519 --> 00:13:15,399 you're right. There is a little hole there, looks like a mouse hole 151 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:20,279 there. It was, as Tommy might have known, cron ups will always 152 00:13:20,279 --> 00:13:24,639 avoid seeing the important things. Of course, there was a mousehold there, 153 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:31,120 the home of little old mister mouse with the wiggly nows and the gray whiskers. 154 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:35,120 He had been nice, but he wasn't there anymore. And Tommy had 155 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:39,240 a pretty clear idea of what had happened to him, That poor little old 156 00:13:39,279 --> 00:13:48,120 mister mouse had had blood. But Daddy, it was hopeless, Dory Martha. 157 00:13:48,919 --> 00:13:52,279 Daddy's hunting instinct was aroused. Have we got a mouse trap? And 158 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:56,240 he cheese? There's a hole in that closet, little old mouse hole, 159 00:13:56,279 --> 00:14:01,480 and I'm going to well, perhaps this would be better than if he hadn't 160 00:14:01,519 --> 00:14:05,559 found anything. Tommy followed Daddy about as he finally located a mouse trap. 161 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:11,279 No cheese. He cut a little piece of meat for bait. Of course, 162 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:16,320 Tommy knew no trap would catch the ugly thing. When in the world 163 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:20,799 happened to my lighter, Daddy wanted to know. Tommy didn't answer that, 164 00:14:22,399 --> 00:14:28,320 but at least everybody, even Aunt Martha, had forgotten about shutting Tommy's family 165 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:33,440 up in the closet. For now, that was enough. But later, 166 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:39,759 after supper, after bath, after the shooting picture on the TV, it 167 00:14:39,799 --> 00:14:43,799 was time for bed. Daddy, get on to bed now, son, 168 00:14:45,399 --> 00:14:50,159 past bedtime. Hop to it, Daddy. I want to sleep with you 169 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:56,519 and Mamma tonight. Well, it was a mighty dark night. The afternoon 170 00:14:56,600 --> 00:15:03,120 rain had built up into a real storm. Mister Bhaer was terrified. Cookey 171 00:15:03,279 --> 00:15:07,879 was scared. An even tough old rabbit didn't want to sleep in Tommy's room 172 00:15:07,919 --> 00:15:13,080 with the ugly thing in the hole so hungry and waiting to rip its way 173 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:16,480 out of the hole when it got dark enough, and only the street light 174 00:15:16,519 --> 00:15:20,960 outside the room to keep away the dark because they would never let Tommy keep 175 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:24,159 his light on at night. My family and me don't want to sleep in 176 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:28,840 my room tonight. Now, Tommy, just because it's a little stormy, 177 00:15:30,559 --> 00:15:35,960 Daddy's big boy isn't afraid of a little wind and rain. I'm not afraid, 178 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:41,159 Daddy. It's my family. You know how families are. You always 179 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:45,879 say about Mamma, never mind that. Now to bed your own bed. 180 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:50,759 But Daddy, there's the ugly thing in the hole, and it's hungry. 181 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:54,960 The mouse. Daddy went to look at his trap, switching on the light 182 00:15:56,000 --> 00:16:00,679 in Tommy's room. He came back in a minute. The devil, did 183 00:16:00,759 --> 00:16:07,159 Daddy know. No, the little devil got away with the bait, clean 184 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:10,840 as a whistle, only a little plaster dust. There's something left in the 185 00:16:10,879 --> 00:16:15,200 trap where I put the meat. Mister Bear shivered. Don't be foolish, 186 00:16:15,279 --> 00:16:21,759 bear, you don't have blood. The ugly thing won't get you. Tommy 187 00:16:21,799 --> 00:16:26,960 told him softly. But mister Bear wouldn't listen. He was a cry baby, 188 00:16:26,519 --> 00:16:30,799 a scaredy cat. But to tell the truth, the real, honest 189 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:36,600 truth, the whole family and even Tommy didn't feel too good about it. 190 00:16:36,679 --> 00:16:41,600 Tommy, what was that you were saying? Daddy? I want to sleep 191 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:45,559 with you and Mama, Me and my family were scared of that thing. 192 00:16:45,679 --> 00:16:49,440 Tommy knew it was no less than his duty to protect them all. Oh, 193 00:16:49,519 --> 00:16:52,799 now, Tommy, you don't mean to say you're afraid of a little 194 00:16:52,799 --> 00:16:59,480 old mouse, a big boy like you. Well, mister Bear, is 195 00:17:00,559 --> 00:17:07,480 I don't Daddy, it is there honest, it is in that hole and 196 00:17:07,559 --> 00:17:11,440 it's hungry and it'll come out in the Darken Tommy, a little mouse, 197 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:17,519 get on into your room now, and no more argument. Tommy's face began 198 00:17:17,599 --> 00:17:21,759 to crumple. If he had to, he would fight this one out all 199 00:17:21,799 --> 00:17:26,400 the way. Tears, tantrum, kick, scream, gasp, hold his 200 00:17:26,519 --> 00:17:30,920 breath and turn blue. Now now, Tommy boy, Daddy did mean well, 201 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:36,039 and sometimes he was even right, and so Tommy always did try to 202 00:17:36,079 --> 00:17:40,319 do it. Daddy said, Tommy, you mustn't let things like that bother 203 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:44,880 you. If we can't catch the little mouse, forget it. There's nothing 204 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:48,759 more we can do, So just don't think about it, you see, 205 00:17:48,519 --> 00:17:55,759 sniff, No, don't think about it, that's all. There is nothing 206 00:17:55,799 --> 00:17:59,519 there that can hurt you if you just don't think about it. So don't 207 00:17:59,559 --> 00:18:04,839 think about it. That's that he's big boy. Well, and then can 208 00:18:04,839 --> 00:18:10,720 we sleep with you? And mamma aunt Martha rang in her nickels worth. 209 00:18:11,799 --> 00:18:15,759 The boy ought to be ashamed to be afraid of a little mouse. It's 210 00:18:15,839 --> 00:18:22,119 not not what h it's mister bear that's afraid of the And you just stop 211 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:27,240 that nonsense about those ridiculous stuffed animals. You hear me, nobody should make 212 00:18:27,319 --> 00:18:33,319 such a fuss about a little mouse, Mama does, Mama, Tommy let 213 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:38,119 two fete tears trickled down his cheeks a warning, but he meant them too, 214 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:45,359 Mama, can't we all right? All right, stop this stupid wrangling. 215 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,440 You know how it gets on my nerves. For goodness sake. Let 216 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:55,480 him sleep with us tonight anyway. I don't blame him. I wouldn't sleep 217 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:57,880 a wink in the same room with a mouse. Be sure you shut our 218 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:03,359 door tonight tight. You're spoiling that child, said Aunt Martha. Sourly, 219 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:08,759 Auntie said, Tommy, I bet your chicken. Let your door stay open. 220 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:17,039 Well, huffed Aunt Martha, the impertinence. I certainly shall keep my 221 00:19:17,119 --> 00:19:19,880 door open. No mouse is going to keep me from getting good fresh air. 222 00:19:22,839 --> 00:19:26,759 Tommy was a very bright little boy. Now with the door shutting Mamma 223 00:19:26,839 --> 00:19:32,400 and Daddy's room and Aunt Martha's door open, you wouldn't think about the ugly 224 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:40,000 thing in the hole waiting for dark, real dark to come out and eat. 225 00:19:41,599 --> 00:19:45,559 All right, Tommy, this wants you can sleep with your mother and 226 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:49,119 me. Go to bed and mind your sleep quiet, and don't spread those 227 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:56,559 stuff your family all over to bed either yes, Daddy and Daddy what I 228 00:19:56,599 --> 00:20:02,559 won't think about it now to think in the hole. Tommy said his good 229 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:07,160 nights tonight. He even kissed Aunt Martha as if he meant it, and 230 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:11,400 he took his family and he went to bed and Mom and Daddy's room. 231 00:20:11,519 --> 00:20:15,039 He did not think about the ugly thing. He went right to sleep, 232 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:19,079 lying at the edge of the big, big bed. Tommy and Old Rabbit 233 00:20:19,759 --> 00:20:26,480 and Cookie Koala and even mister Barrow went right to sleep. Outside. The 234 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:30,440 wind blew hard and harder, and the rain drove down, and it was 235 00:20:30,599 --> 00:20:37,039 dark. The television reception was bad. Everyone went to bed early, good 236 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:41,839 night, lights out. In Tommy's room, it was quite dark, with 237 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:47,200 only the faint watery rays of the street lights on the corner swimming in through 238 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:52,960 the rain. In the closet there was a stirring, a fumbling, a 239 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:57,720 tearing, and the hole in the blackness grew was forced bigger, wider, 240 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:03,559 as the thing bushed and ripped at whatever was barring it from the warm, 241 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:12,000 red oozing food it craved it must have it would have, And in a 242 00:21:12,039 --> 00:21:18,759 sudden gust, the wind blew harder still somewhere in town blocks away, a 243 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:22,880 wire fell, and blue sparks flashed and crackled in the dripping night. In 244 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:30,240 Tommy's house, the refrigerator went off, the electric clock stopped, the street 245 00:21:30,319 --> 00:21:34,960 light blinked once and was gone. And in Tommy's closet there was a sudden, 246 00:21:36,559 --> 00:21:42,680 mighty surge of effort break and something not a sound, but something, 247 00:21:44,559 --> 00:21:49,880 a harsh and bloody sense or feel of rending greed, flowing outward from the 248 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:56,400 closet in a wave. Aunt Martha and her sleep said no, oh, 249 00:21:56,599 --> 00:22:03,599 no, Daddy in her to a snore with a strained grunt. Mamma whimpered 250 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:11,680 softly and hugged to herself her swollen stomach. Tommy blinked, then was awake 251 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:18,319 soothingly. He patted Cokey and old Rabbit. He squeezed mister Behear's paw. 252 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:22,279 Then he slipped his hand into the opening and mister Behar's overalls and took out 253 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:29,319 Daddy's cigarette lighter. He knew how to work it, but first he waited. 254 00:22:30,079 --> 00:22:34,319 Don't think about it, Daddy had told him, and he didn't think 255 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:40,359 about it, really, but he couldn't help feeling it. The ugly thing 256 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:45,240 was out clear, out of the hole now and moving. He could feel 257 00:22:45,279 --> 00:22:52,119 that, and the awful hunger moving with it. Aunt Martha's room was closest 258 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:57,359 and her door was open. Mom and Daddy's room was closed. The ugly 259 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:07,599 thing moved fast, faster, and reached out, thirsting hungering. From Aunt 260 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:12,039 Martha's room came the quavering wail, and from the thing there flowed a sense 261 00:23:12,039 --> 00:23:18,200 of vicious evil. Joy. There it was, But was it enough? 262 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:26,960 Tommy hugged mister Bhaer once tightly and slipped noisily from the bed. He wasn't 263 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:32,200 thinking about it. He couldn't, He wouldn't think about it, but he 264 00:23:32,319 --> 00:23:37,079 knew what he had to do. He had the lighter at the bedroom door. 265 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:41,480 He worked it, opened the door a crack, thrust it out, 266 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:48,599 and then in a little rush back to bed where he lay quietly, and 267 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:52,559 he didn't think about it. He and mister Bhaer, an old rabbit and 268 00:23:52,680 --> 00:24:00,440 cookie Koala. After a little the sense of feeding hunger was gone, and 269 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:03,079 the feel of the ugly thing was gone, back into the hole in the 270 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:07,480 closet, forced back by the flickering yellow light of the flames started by the 271 00:24:07,519 --> 00:24:12,720 cigarette lighter. Then when the smell of smoke grew thick in the room, 272 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:18,359 and he could hear the crackling of fire burning the house. Tommy shook Daddy 273 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:22,759 awake. It wasn't hard to get out through the bedroom window, except for 274 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:26,160 Mamma, but she made it all right. And Tommy had a little trouble, 275 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:30,799 holding tightly to each member of his family as Daddy lifted him out of 276 00:24:30,839 --> 00:24:33,960 the window, but they made it all right too. Of course, Aunt 277 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:40,599 Martha didn't make it, how could she. But it was fun watching the 278 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:45,400 fireman in the rain from the Crassmire's porch next door, as the house and 279 00:24:45,519 --> 00:24:52,960 the closet with the hole all burned up together, Aunt Martha. Funny thing. 280 00:24:52,319 --> 00:24:56,599 Tommy heard one of the firemen say to another the next day in the 281 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:02,000 sunshine as they looked over the smoldering ash. The old bat must have been 282 00:25:02,039 --> 00:25:06,680 as dry as dust inside. Twenty years in the department, and I never 283 00:25:06,759 --> 00:25:11,880 did see a body so completely consumed, teeth, a little bone. Hey, 284 00:25:12,079 --> 00:25:15,079 get on away from your son, Get along on home with you. 285 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:19,839 Daddy, and Mamma said. Aunt Martha had gone away on a trip. 286 00:25:21,799 --> 00:25:25,720 Tommy might have known pretty well where she had gone, if he had thought 287 00:25:25,759 --> 00:25:30,279 about it, But he didn't think about it. None of his family did. 288 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:37,519 What for Aunt Martha had to go away? Sure she went all right? 289 00:25:38,319 --> 00:25:45,279 Who missed Aunt Martha anyway? There were lights in all of the closets 290 00:25:45,279 --> 00:25:48,960 in the new house they moved to, and lots of room for everyone, 291 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:55,960 even baby sister. There were no holes, not even mouse holes in any 292 00:25:56,000 --> 00:26:00,240 of the closets, and of don't think about it.