1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: Don't think about it. By William W. Stewart. Tommy wasn't 2 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:11,759 really a timid child. Sometimes he didn't understand things and 3 00:00:11,919 --> 00:00:17,280 was puzzled. More Often grown ups couldn't or wouldn't understand 4 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:19,920 things that were perfectly clear to him, and he was 5 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:25,760 more puzzled. Occasionally such things worried and even upset him 6 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:31,000 a little. Then Mamma and sometimes Daddy would translate bafflement 7 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:34,560 in the silly adult terms and think that he was afraid. 8 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:37,960 It was that way about the hole in the closet 9 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:41,880 when Tommy was just a bit over three. Tommy wasn't 10 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:46,640 really afraid. Mister Bhaer was afraid, and the thing did 11 00:00:46,679 --> 00:00:50,320 puzzle Tommy, so he asked about it, but he never 12 00:00:50,399 --> 00:00:54,640 did get any sensible or satisfactory answers, and that did 13 00:00:54,679 --> 00:00:58,560 worry and perhaps even upset him a little. But he 14 00:00:58,679 --> 00:01:04,000 wasn't afraid even before Daddy finally told him, now, Tommy boy, 15 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,120 don't think about it, and it won't scare you. Really, 16 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:11,280 there's nothing there to hurt you if you just don't 17 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,480 think about it. So don't you think about it any more. 18 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:19,599 There's Daddy's big boy. This certainly was not any sort 19 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:23,359 of explanation, but still Tommy did try hard not to 20 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:27,879 think about it, as Daddy said, and now he really 21 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:31,280 doesn't think about it at all any more, or about 22 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:35,920 Aunt Martha either. The hole was in the closet in 23 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:40,079 Tommy's room. Tommy and Mamma and Daddy lived in a 24 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:43,920 not very big, not very new frame house on the 25 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,959 edge of the city, and Aunt Martha lived with them. 26 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:52,239 Tommy didn't, at least not yet, although there were promises 27 00:01:52,799 --> 00:01:56,400 have any brothers or sisters, but he did have his 28 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,879 own room and a family of his own too. It 29 00:02:00,159 --> 00:02:02,799 was the extra bedroom, and it had a closet that 30 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:06,719 was cramped and with no light. Tommy liked his room. 31 00:02:07,599 --> 00:02:10,960 It was small, with a small bed, and it belonged 32 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:14,919 to him along with his family of Mister Bear and 33 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:20,000 Old Rabbit and Kochi Koala. It was also an easy 34 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:23,240 crying range of Mamma and Daddy's room in Aunt Martha's room, 35 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:27,199 so if Mister Bear, who was the timid one, got 36 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:31,199 frightened in the night, Tommy could cry purely in mister 37 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:37,319 Bear's behalf to bring help or at least company. Tommy 38 00:02:37,319 --> 00:02:39,719 and his family all liked the closet well enough too, 39 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:43,000 except for the shelf that was out of reach even 40 00:02:43,039 --> 00:02:46,800 from the don't climb stool. The closet was good to 41 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:51,520 hide in or play bear cave or rabbit hole, and 42 00:02:51,599 --> 00:02:54,319 fine for finding missing toys after Mama had a spell 43 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:58,319 of playing cleaning house. The day Tommy found the hole 44 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,000 in the closet was the week after his third birthday. 45 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:06,240 Daddy was at work, Mamma was out chopping. It was 46 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:10,240 a rainy afternoon. Aunt Martha was sitting with Tommy in 47 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:14,919 the afternoon television. He was in his room with his family, 48 00:03:15,439 --> 00:03:17,159 and they all agreed as soon as they heard the 49 00:03:17,199 --> 00:03:20,199 television coming on strong that it would be a very 50 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:25,039 poor afternoon to waste on a nap. Besides, mister Bear's 51 00:03:25,039 --> 00:03:27,479 feelings had been hurt by having been somewhat left out 52 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:31,000 of things recently in favor of new birthday presents now 53 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:35,680 largely broken or tiresome. To make it up to him, Tommy, 54 00:03:35,919 --> 00:03:39,120 an old Rabbit, and Kokey all agreed to play bear 55 00:03:39,199 --> 00:03:42,159 cave in the closet. It was a nice game and 56 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:46,080 going well enough, except for some grumblings from Koki Koala, 57 00:03:46,599 --> 00:03:49,199 who always wanted to argue and claim that bears lived 58 00:03:49,199 --> 00:03:54,360 in trees, not caves. But then and it was mister 59 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:57,439 Bear's fault for wanting it darker so he could hibernate. 60 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:02,039 The closet door shut tight. That didn't seem so serious 61 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:05,360 at first. It would only mean a scolding for being 62 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:07,520 out of bed when Aunt Martha would come to open 63 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:11,520 it after Tommy hollered loud enough. And then there was 64 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,080 the hole in the closet, back in the corner, next 65 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:19,120 to the broken drum. They all saw it, and they 66 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:24,439 heard the ugly thing talking or thinking at them. It 67 00:04:24,519 --> 00:04:27,480 stretched out a part of itself at mister Bear, who 68 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:31,759 was the closest. It didn't grab mister Bear, but he 69 00:04:31,879 --> 00:04:35,720 was terrified just the same. And none of them liked it. 70 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:40,079 They didn't like it at all. The ugly thing couldn't 71 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:42,519 come out of the hole because the hole wasn't big 72 00:04:42,639 --> 00:04:45,959 enough yet, but it tried, and it was making the 73 00:04:45,959 --> 00:04:50,680 hole bigger, and it kept thinking at them, red thoughts 74 00:04:51,319 --> 00:04:54,560 and hungry as it tore at the edges of the hole. 75 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:59,160 The family all looked at Tommy, so Tommy cried and yelled. 76 00:05:00,319 --> 00:05:03,759 Finally Aunt Martha heard him and came to open the door. 77 00:05:04,959 --> 00:05:08,319 Then the afternoon sunlight streamed across the floor into the closet, 78 00:05:08,519 --> 00:05:12,120 and the ugly red thoughts from the thing pulled back 79 00:05:12,759 --> 00:05:16,360 far back so you could barely notice them, and you 80 00:05:16,399 --> 00:05:20,240 couldn't see the hole anymore, even though you knew it 81 00:05:20,319 --> 00:05:24,920 was still there, at least Tommy and mister Bear, an 82 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:30,000 old rabbit, and Kochi Kohala knew. After she opened the 83 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,480 closet door and carried Tommy from the closet to the 84 00:05:32,519 --> 00:05:37,360 living room, Aunt Martha scolded. She wasn't really mad, because 85 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,600 she had waited until a commercial interrupted her television program 86 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:44,439 before answering the cries from the closet, But she scolded 87 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:47,560 because she was Aunt Martha, and scolding is what Aunt 88 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:51,399 Martha did. A really good cry, even one worked up 89 00:05:51,439 --> 00:05:54,800 strictly as a service for a companion, takes a little 90 00:05:54,879 --> 00:05:58,759 time to turn off. Then, after a few settling gulps, 91 00:05:59,439 --> 00:06:05,040 Tommy tried to explain, Auntie Aunt Martha, there's a hole 92 00:06:05,079 --> 00:06:08,279 in the cave in the closet, and there's a thing 93 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:11,399 inside of it. He looked at mister Bear, whom he 94 00:06:11,439 --> 00:06:14,759 was holding by one foot, and at Kochi, dropped by 95 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:19,639 Aunt Martha on the sofa for confirmation. Then quickly he 96 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:26,319 wriggled down from Aunty's lap Old Rabbit bravely. Tommy ran 97 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,560 to the closet and was relieved the door was open, 98 00:06:30,079 --> 00:06:33,759 and in the gray afternoon light, the hole was still 99 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:37,800 not to be seen. Old Rabbit, who always had a 100 00:06:37,879 --> 00:06:42,120 bad temper, was annoyed and snappish at having been left behind. 101 00:06:42,959 --> 00:06:46,240 But he was there and all right. Tommy rescued him 102 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:50,319 and ran back to Aunt Martha. It was hungry, he 103 00:06:50,439 --> 00:06:56,959 continued his explanation. Aunt Martha, as always was difficult. Who 104 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:00,839 is hungry? You shouldn't be hungry, Tommy. You just had 105 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:03,720 your lunch an hour ago. Do you want a glass 106 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:09,480 of milk? Not me hungry? Tommy was impatient. Aunt Martha 107 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:12,600 never seemed able to grasp any idea more complex than 108 00:07:12,639 --> 00:07:16,399 a glass of milk or wet pants. Little boys, in 109 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:20,160 her mind nearly always either wanted the one or had 110 00:07:20,199 --> 00:07:23,680 the other. Such things she could and did attend to 111 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:27,959 with a virtuous sense of duty done, but anything else 112 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:33,720 was beyond her. Tommy, are your pants wet? Tommy sighed 113 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:37,639 in resignation and wet his pants. It was the only 114 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:44,120 thing to do, Otherwise Aunty would fuss and fume. Accomplishing nothing, 115 00:07:44,759 --> 00:07:50,439 understanding nothing for the rest of the afternoon. Ten minutes later, 116 00:07:50,759 --> 00:07:54,480 in dry pants, he finished an unwanted glass of milk. 117 00:07:55,560 --> 00:08:01,560 Aunt Martha, conscience appeased, returned to soap opera. Tommy and 118 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:06,600 his family napped safely Forgotten played away the afternoon, but 119 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:10,279 not in a closet or even as was usual on 120 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:15,879 rainy days, in Tommy's room. Instead, finding Daddy's old briefcase 121 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:19,120 full of papers. They played office in the family room, 122 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:22,519 with old Rabbit grumbling about having to be miss Wixi, 123 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:27,360 who drove the electric typewriter in Daddy's office. Mamma and 124 00:08:27,439 --> 00:08:31,040 Daddy came home together at a bit after five. Tommy 125 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:33,840 took his scolding about messing up Daddy's papers in good 126 00:08:33,879 --> 00:08:37,720 part he had expected it, but Aunt Martha was angry 127 00:08:37,759 --> 00:08:41,200 about the scolding she got for letting him mild, though 128 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:47,200 it was in retaliation. She said, Tommy, you are a naughty, 129 00:08:47,279 --> 00:08:50,159 naughty boy, and for being so naughty, you must take 130 00:08:50,159 --> 00:08:53,279 your big bear and your rabbit and the little bear 131 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:55,799 or whatever the thing is, and put them away in 132 00:08:55,840 --> 00:09:01,039 the closet and leave them there till tomorrow. No, no, no, no, 133 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:05,039 I won't. It isn't fair. There weren't bad, and the 134 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:07,200 ugly thing in the hole, and it might come out, 135 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:12,080 and it's hungry, and and my family is all afraid Tommy. 136 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:16,000 Aunt Martha's voice was sharp. You stop that nonsense and 137 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:20,879 put your toys. Wait, Wait up now, said Daddy, who 138 00:09:20,919 --> 00:09:23,840 also lived in the grown up world, but who sometimes 139 00:09:23,879 --> 00:09:27,519 tried to understand things. What is this about a hole 140 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:32,759 in the closet? What about something being hungry? That's all, 141 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:36,799 said Tommy. The ugly thing in the hole in the closet, 142 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:40,720 it is hungry. There was more to it than that, 143 00:09:40,879 --> 00:09:43,159 of course, But how could a thing like that be 144 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:48,080 explained through a wall grown closed minds. There was the 145 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:52,279 hole in the closet. You couldn't exactly see it, You 146 00:09:52,279 --> 00:09:55,519 could only sort of feel seeing it. And the hairy thing, 147 00:09:56,200 --> 00:10:00,000 at least it seemed harry and shapeless, were having made 148 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:04,840 any different shapes, and a mouth and sharp teeth, And 149 00:10:04,919 --> 00:10:07,679 it had reached out with something and touched mister Bear 150 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:10,960 and would have eaten him too if he had blood. 151 00:10:12,039 --> 00:10:15,039 But then it had pulled back from mister Bear, and 152 00:10:15,159 --> 00:10:20,200 red hunger thoughts came stronger and stronger even now, stretching 153 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:22,600 out from the hole where it was hidden in the closet. 154 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:27,440 Tommy could feel the reaching, greedy thoughts, but he couldn't 155 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:31,120 explain all that there is a hole in the closet, 156 00:10:31,639 --> 00:10:35,399 Tommy said again, But he knew that not even Daddy 157 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:41,080 would understand. Of course Mama wouldn't, not Mama, who was 158 00:10:41,159 --> 00:10:45,480 loving but very busy, and just sat so often dreaming 159 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,440 or listening to baby's sister that they said was in 160 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:51,759 her stomach so big and fat now as to leave 161 00:10:51,879 --> 00:10:56,000 little lap room. Mama was too occupied looking inward to 162 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,840 look out much at Tommy. Daddy, to give him credit, 163 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,200 was nearly always will in the look, but there were 164 00:11:03,279 --> 00:11:06,919 so many things he couldn't see. Still, Tommy had to 165 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:11,000 try the ugly thing in the hole? You want something 166 00:11:11,039 --> 00:11:16,960 to eat, Oh, Tommy, Such horrible nonsense, that was mamma. 167 00:11:17,399 --> 00:11:20,200 She wasn't even going to think about it. It is 168 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:23,080 a question sometimes whether baby's sisters are worth all the 169 00:11:23,159 --> 00:11:28,200 bother in the trouble. Now, Tommy, Daddy was being helpful. 170 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:31,960 You say there is a hole in your closet, and 171 00:11:32,039 --> 00:11:38,879 that there's something in the hole. Well sort of, Really, 172 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:41,559 the ugly thing wasn't so much in the hole as 173 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:44,879 on the other side. Of it. But that was close enough, 174 00:11:46,279 --> 00:11:49,240 all right. Then, Tommy, suppose you show it to me? 175 00:11:50,279 --> 00:11:56,039 What show me the hole? Tommy? Now, yes, the hole 176 00:11:56,080 --> 00:12:00,720 in the closet. Tommy, Yes, Daddy, this wasn't going to 177 00:12:00,759 --> 00:12:03,399 work out anything good, and Tommy didn't want to go 178 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:06,399 back to the closet and close the closet door. Anyway, 179 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:10,360 the thing didn't eat mister Bear because mister Barrett didn't 180 00:12:10,399 --> 00:12:15,159 have blood, but Daddy had and Tommy they went to 181 00:12:15,279 --> 00:12:19,200 the closet at least if he was risking a Daddy, 182 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:24,320 Tommy thought he was protecting mister Bear and the others. Now, 183 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:29,480 where's this hole, Tommy? Over there by the corner, Tommy pointed. 184 00:12:30,919 --> 00:12:34,159 Daddy went into the closet to look. Tommy started to 185 00:12:34,159 --> 00:12:37,799 close the door. In the black dark, Daddy would see 186 00:12:37,799 --> 00:12:40,679 what Tommy meant about the thing in the hole from 187 00:12:40,759 --> 00:12:44,679 the outside. Tommy started to close the door. It was 188 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:48,720 a small closet and hardly big enough for both of them. Tommy, 189 00:12:49,399 --> 00:12:52,720 what are you trying to do? Open that door? But 190 00:12:53,679 --> 00:12:57,440 after all, the hole wasn't there, or scarcely seemed to 191 00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:02,960 be there except in the dark. Open it up wider. Hum, 192 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:09,399 I believe I do see wait till I get my lighter. Say, 193 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:13,080 by George, I believe you're right. There is a little 194 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:17,679 hole there, looks like a mouse hole there. It was, 195 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:21,679 as Tommy might have known, crown ups will always avoid 196 00:13:21,799 --> 00:13:25,159 seeing the important things. Of course, there was a mouse 197 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:29,039 hole there, the home of little old mister mouse with 198 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:33,519 the wiggly nose and the gray whiskers. He had been nice, 199 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:36,279 but he wasn't there any more. And Tommy had a 200 00:13:36,279 --> 00:13:39,279 pretty clear idea of what had happened to him, that 201 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:44,240 poor little old mister mouse had had blood. But Daddy, 202 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:50,879 it was hopeless. Dorry, Martha, Daddy's hunting and stink was aroused. 203 00:13:51,519 --> 00:13:54,960 Have we got a mouse trap? Any cheese? There's a 204 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,639 hole in that closet, a little old mousehole, and I'm 205 00:13:57,639 --> 00:14:01,120 going to well, perhaps this would be better than if 206 00:14:01,159 --> 00:14:04,919 he hadn't found anything. Tommy followed Daddy about as he 207 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:09,759 finally located a mouse trap, no cheese. He cut a 208 00:14:09,759 --> 00:14:13,039 little piece of meat for bait. Of course, Tommy knew 209 00:14:13,039 --> 00:14:16,080 no trap would catch the ugly thing. When in the 210 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:21,000 world happened to my lighter, Daddy wanted to know. Tommy 211 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:25,480 didn't answer that, But at least everybody even Aunt Martha 212 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:29,320 had forgotten about shutting Tommy's family up in the closet. 213 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:36,120 For now that was enough, But later, after supper, after bath, 214 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:40,240 after the shooting picture on the TV, it was time 215 00:14:40,279 --> 00:14:46,240 for bed. Daddy, get on to bed now, son, past bedtime. 216 00:14:46,559 --> 00:14:50,159 Hop to it, Daddy. I want to sleep with you 217 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:55,799 and Mamma tonight. Well it was a mighty dark night. 218 00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:59,639 The afternoon rain had built up into a real storm. 219 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:06,240 Mister Bear was terrified. Kokie was scared. An even tough 220 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:09,000 old rabbit didn't want to sleep in Tommy's room with 221 00:15:09,159 --> 00:15:12,399 the ugly thing in the hole, so hungry and waiting 222 00:15:12,399 --> 00:15:13,960 to rip its way out of the hole when it 223 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,000 got dark enough, and only the street light outside the 224 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:20,080 room to keep away the dark because they would never 225 00:15:20,159 --> 00:15:24,080 let Tommy keep his light on at night. My family 226 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:27,720 and me don't want to sleep in my room tonight. Now, Tommy, 227 00:15:28,399 --> 00:15:31,720 just because it's a little stormy, Daddy's big boy isn't 228 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:36,440 afraid of a little wind and rain. I'm not afraid, Daddy. 229 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:41,200 It's my family. You know how families are. You always 230 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:45,440 say about mama. Never mind that, Now to bed your 231 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:49,320 own bed. But Daddy, there's the ugly thing in the hole, 232 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:54,080 and it's hungry the mouse. Daddy went to look at 233 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:57,919 his trap, switching on the light in Tommy's room. He 234 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:03,480 came back in a minute, old devil, did Daddy know? No, 235 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:07,360 the little devil got away with the bait, clean as 236 00:16:07,399 --> 00:16:10,679 a whistle. Only a little plaster dust or something left 237 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:14,320 in the trap where I put the meat. Mister Bear shivered. 238 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:19,120 Not don't be foolish, bear, you don't have blood. The 239 00:16:19,159 --> 00:16:23,519 ugly thing won't get you, Tommy told him softly. But 240 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:27,720 mister Bear wouldn't listen. He was a cry baby, a 241 00:16:27,759 --> 00:16:32,159 scaredy cat. But to tell the truth, the real, honest truth, 242 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:35,480 the whole family and even Tommy didn't feel too good 243 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:40,440 about it. Tommy, what was that you were saying? Daddy, 244 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,480 I want to sleep with you and Mama, Me and 245 00:16:43,559 --> 00:16:47,399 my family were scared of that thing. Tommy knew it 246 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:51,240 was no less than his duty to protect them all. Oh, now, Tommy, 247 00:16:51,919 --> 00:16:53,840 you don't mean to say you're afraid of a little 248 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:59,200 old mouse, that big boy like you. Well, mister Bear 249 00:16:59,399 --> 00:17:05,599 is I don't, Daddy. It is there, honest. It is 250 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:09,599 in that hole, and it's hungry, and it'll come out 251 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:13,640 in the darken Tommy, a little mouse, get on into 252 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:17,559 your room now, and no more argument. Tommy's face began 253 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:21,079 to crumple. If he had to, he would fight this 254 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:26,759 one out all the way. Tears, tantrum, kick, scream, gasp, 255 00:17:27,079 --> 00:17:30,079 hold his breath and turn blue. Now now, Tommy boy, 256 00:17:30,799 --> 00:17:33,960 Daddy did mean well, and sometimes he was even right, 257 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:38,279 and so Tommy always did try to do it. Daddy said, Tommy, 258 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:41,759 you mustn't let things like that bother you. If we 259 00:17:41,839 --> 00:17:45,079 can't catch the little mouse, forget it. There's nothing more 260 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:50,920 we can do. So just don't think about it, you see, sniff, No, 261 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:56,000 don't think about it, that's all. There is nothing there 262 00:17:56,039 --> 00:17:58,400 that can hurt you if you just don't think about it. 263 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:03,759 So don't think about it. That's Daddy's big boy. Well, 264 00:18:05,319 --> 00:18:08,960 and then can we sleep with you? And mama Aunt 265 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,519 Martha rang in her nichols Worth. The boy ought to 266 00:18:12,519 --> 00:18:15,799 be ashamed to be afraid of a little mouse. It's 267 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:21,480 not not what uh, it's mister bear that's afraid of 268 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:25,119 the And you just stop that nonsense about those ridiculous 269 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:28,680 stuffed animals, you hear me. Nobody should make such a 270 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:34,359 fuss about a little mouse. Mama does Mama, Tommy let 271 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:38,160 two fat tears trickle down his cheeks a warning, but 272 00:18:38,279 --> 00:18:43,640 he meant them too. Mama, huh, can't we all right? 273 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:47,680 All right, stop this stupid wrangling. You know how it 274 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:50,880 gets on my nerves. For goodness sake. Let him sleep 275 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:55,200 with us tonight anyway. I don't blame him. I wouldn't 276 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:57,160 sleep a wink in the same room with a mouse. 277 00:18:57,799 --> 00:19:02,039 Be sure you shut our door tonight tight. You're spoiling 278 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:07,640 that child, said Aunt Martha. Sourly. Auntie said, Tommy, I 279 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:12,200 bet your chicken. Let your door stay open. Well, huffed 280 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:17,720 Aunt Martha, the impertinence. I certainly shall keep my door open. 281 00:19:18,079 --> 00:19:20,240 No mouse is going to keep me from getting good 282 00:19:20,319 --> 00:19:26,279 fresh air. Tommy was a very bright little boy. Now 283 00:19:26,559 --> 00:19:29,559 with the door shutting Mama and Daddy's room and Aunt 284 00:19:29,559 --> 00:19:32,680 Martha's door open, you wouldn't think about the ugly thing 285 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:38,200 in the hole waiting for dark, real dark to come 286 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:44,559 out and eat. All right, Tommy, this once you can 287 00:19:44,599 --> 00:19:47,400 sleep with your mother and me. Go to bed, and 288 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:51,319 mind you sleep quiet, and don't spread those stuff your 289 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:55,440 family all over to bed either. Yes, Daddy and Daddy, 290 00:19:56,319 --> 00:20:00,720 what I won't think about it now? In the hole. 291 00:20:01,759 --> 00:20:05,119 Tommy said his good nights tonight. He even kissed Aunt 292 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:07,759 Martha as if he meant it, and he took his 293 00:20:07,839 --> 00:20:10,359 family and he went to bed in Mom and Daddy's room. 294 00:20:11,599 --> 00:20:14,400 He did not think about the ugly thing. He went 295 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:17,079 right to sleep, lying at the edge of the big, 296 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:22,720 big bed. Tommy and old Rabbit and Coochi Koala and 297 00:20:22,799 --> 00:20:26,759 even mister Bear went right to sleep. Outside. The wind 298 00:20:26,799 --> 00:20:30,119 blew hard and harder, and the rain drove down, and 299 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:35,160 it was dark. The television reception was bad. Everyone went 300 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:41,000 to bed early, good night lights out. In Tommy's room, 301 00:20:41,039 --> 00:20:44,839 it was quite dark, with only the faint, watery rays 302 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:47,200 of the street lights on the corner swimming in through 303 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:52,359 the rain. In the closet there was a stirring, a fumbling, 304 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:56,680 a tearing, and the hole in the blackness grew was 305 00:20:56,759 --> 00:21:01,920 forced bigger wider, as the thing pushed and ripped at 306 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:06,440 whatever was barring it from the warm, red, oozing food. 307 00:21:06,519 --> 00:21:12,880 It craved, it must have it would have, And in 308 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:16,839 a sudden gust, the wind blew harder. Still Somewhere in 309 00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:21,359 town blocks away, a wire fell and blue sparks flashed 310 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:25,440 and crackled in the dripping night. In Tommy's house, the 311 00:21:25,519 --> 00:21:30,480 refrigerator went off, the electric clock stopped, the street light 312 00:21:30,599 --> 00:21:35,200 blinked once and was gone. And in Tommy's closet there 313 00:21:35,279 --> 00:21:40,440 was a sudden, mighty surge of effort, a break, and 314 00:21:40,599 --> 00:21:46,599 something not a sound, but something, a harsh and bloody 315 00:21:46,759 --> 00:21:50,880 sense or feel of rending greed, flowing outward from the 316 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:57,720 closet in a wave. Aunt Martha, in her sleep said no, oh, no, 317 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:02,599 Daddy in her own to the snore with a strained grunt. 318 00:22:03,839 --> 00:22:08,359 Mama whimpered softly and hugged to herself her swollen stomach. 319 00:22:09,839 --> 00:22:15,039 Tommy blinked and was awake. Soothingly. He patted Kochi and 320 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:19,759 Old Rabbit. He squeezed mister Bear's paw. Then he slipped 321 00:22:19,759 --> 00:22:22,839 his hand into the opening and mister Bear's overalls and 322 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:26,480 took out Daddy's cigarette. Later he knew how to work it, 323 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:33,000 but first he waited. Don't think about it, Daddy had 324 00:22:33,039 --> 00:22:37,240 told him, and he didn't think about it, really, but 325 00:22:37,319 --> 00:22:41,720 he couldn't help feeling it. The ugly thing was out, 326 00:22:41,759 --> 00:22:45,880 clear out of the hole now and moving. He could 327 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:50,480 feel that, and the awful hunger moving with it. Aunt 328 00:22:50,599 --> 00:22:55,279 Martha's room was closest, and her door was open. Mom 329 00:22:55,319 --> 00:23:00,839 and Daddy's room was closed. The ugly thing moved fast, faster, 330 00:23:01,599 --> 00:23:08,759 and reached out, dursting hungering. From Aunt Martha's room came 331 00:23:08,799 --> 00:23:12,640 the quavering wail, and from the thing there flowed a 332 00:23:12,759 --> 00:23:18,680 sense of vicious evil. Joy. There it was, But was 333 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:24,359 it enough? Tommy hugged mister Bear once tightly and slipped 334 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:29,160 noisily from the bed. He wasn't thinking about it. He couldn't, 335 00:23:30,079 --> 00:23:32,839 he wouldn't think about it, but he knew what he 336 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:37,160 had to do. He had the lighter at the bedroom door. 337 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:43,240 He worked it, opened the door a crack, thrust it out, 338 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:46,799 and then in a little rush back to bed, where 339 00:23:46,799 --> 00:23:50,680 he lay quietly, and he didn't think about it. He 340 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:56,720 and mister Bear an old rabbit and cookie Koala. After 341 00:23:56,759 --> 00:24:00,480 a little the sense of feeding hunger was gone, and 342 00:24:00,559 --> 00:24:03,559 the feel of the ugly thing was gone, back into 343 00:24:03,559 --> 00:24:06,559 the hole in the closet, forced back by the flickering 344 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:11,039 yellow light of the flames started by the cigarette lighter. Then, 345 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:13,720 when the smell of smoke grew thick in the room 346 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:16,880 and he could hear the crackling of fire burning the house, 347 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:20,880 Tommy shook Daddy awake. It wasn't hard to get out 348 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:24,480 through the bedroom window except for Mamma, but she made 349 00:24:24,519 --> 00:24:27,440 it all right. And Tommy had a little trouble, holding 350 00:24:27,519 --> 00:24:30,400 tightly to each member of his family as Daddy lifted 351 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:32,799 him out of the window, but they made it all 352 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:37,200 right too. Of course, Aunt Martha didn't make it, how 353 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:41,240 could she. But it was fun watching the fireman in 354 00:24:41,279 --> 00:24:44,640 the rain from the Krafsmyer's porch next door, as the 355 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:48,960 house and the closet with the hole all burned up together, 356 00:24:50,279 --> 00:24:54,799 Aunt Martha. Funny thing. Tommy heard one of the firemen 357 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:58,079 say to another the next day in the sunshine as 358 00:24:58,079 --> 00:25:01,759 they looked over the smoldering ash. The old bat must 359 00:25:01,759 --> 00:25:05,160 have been as dry as dust inside. Twenty years in 360 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:07,759 the department, and I never did see a body so 361 00:25:07,839 --> 00:25:13,680 completely consumed teeth a little bone. Hey, get on away 362 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:18,359 from your son, Get along on home with you. Daddy 363 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:20,880 and Mamma said, Aunt Martha had gone away on a trip. 364 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:24,240 Tommy might have known pretty well where she had gone 365 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:27,799 if he had thought about it, but he didn't think 366 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:33,200 about it. None of his family did. What for Aunt 367 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:38,519 Martha had to go away, Sure she went all right? 368 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:44,519 Who missed Aunt Martha anyway. There were lights in all 369 00:25:44,559 --> 00:25:46,720 of the closets in the new house they moved too, 370 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:52,319 and lots of room for everyone, even baby's sister. Never 371 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:58,680 no holes, not even mouse holes in any of the closets, 372 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:01,240 and of don't think about it.