The Elephant House
In the quiet suburban neighborhood of Greendale, the residents lived a peaceful yet monotonous life. There were smiles and greetings among the neighbors, kids playing on the streets, and every house with a well-manicured lawn. Among these neat rows of identical houses, lived the Mildweed family in house number 34. Nigel Mildweed, a brick of a man, lived with his sweet wife, Greta, and their two sons, Martin and Eddie. The Mildweeds were exactly what you'd expect of a suburban family – pleasant, congenial, and remarkably unremarkable – except for one aspect; their unexplained and strange affinity towards, of all things, elephants.
Every summer, the Greendale community held an annual tradition, the Greendale Gala, where families came together to celebrate life in the suburbs. There was music, food, games and various competitions. The ‘Best Yard’ competition was the most anticipated and highly contested. Each family took great pride in their front yards and went all out to win. However, year after year, the crystal trophy belonging to the ‘Best Yard’ was claimed by the Mildweeds. Their move? Real life-sized elephant-shaped hedge that enthralled everyone every single year.
Soon, house number 34 became popularly known as Elephant House. Town folks passed by, admiring the green elephant display. The Mildweeds beamed with pride for their creations, but no one knew about the herculean efforts they took and the countless hours spent in grooming and maintaining their elephant-shaped hedges. Nights after nights, after their boys were in their beds, Greta and Nigel toiled in the yard, under the light of the waxing moon, shaping and tending to their pride and joy.
This year, Eddie, the younger of the Mildweed children, had an idea - why only decorate the yard when they can decorate the house as well? So, they decided to paint a magnificent mural of a herd of elephants on their house. But, suburban life wasn't known for exciting breaks or adventurous ideas, and this was far from ordinary, even for the elephant-loving Mildweeds. The homeowners association was deaf to their appeals, and not surprisingly, their idea was dismissed as eccentric.
Undeterred by the community's rigidness, the Mildweeds decided to proceed with their plan, albeit with discretion. Nigel, equipped with brushes and shades of colour, started crafting a beautiful, vibrant mural on the inside of their house, turning their home into an elephant shrine. One room after another, the walls came alive with vivid images of playing elephants, charging elephants, and even elephants taking a peaceful nap by the riverside.
The transformation started getting attention. The local newspaper ran a story titled 'Local Family Turns Home into Elephant Sanctuary'. The press triggered a wave of fascination among the Elephant House. The Mildweeds opened their doors for anyone who wished to see their elephant haven, and surprisingly, their initiative started attracting a significant number of visitors, including those from other towns.
Their home, which invited skepticism and ridicule in the beginning, started becoming an iconic spot around Greendale. The visitors and locals alike adored the elephant family and their home, which was more of an art gallery retelling elephant tales.
Though the Mildweeds initially embarked on this journey solely driven by their love for these majestic creatures, their 'crazy' idea held an important lesson for the people around them. It taught them the power of individuality, creativity, and the courage to stand out even in the face of indifference.
The Elephant House became a beacon of change and eccentricity in the monotonous suburban life. The Mildweeds's story was a reminder that it's okay to leave the well-trodden path once in a while and walk into the unknown, for sometimes the happiness lies not in blending in, but in standing out.