Original subtitles

Ernie was a taxidermist.

Like his father.

His father his father.

And his father's father's.

Ant.

It was the swinging sixties.

Everything was new and groovy.

Ernie was old and dusty.

And often wondered if he'd become an exhibit in his own store.

Taxidermy was out of fashion

and in these modern times he had to be.

Resourceful.

He was also def.

Robbed of his hearing.

By a summer camp bully.

He never spoke again

and people presumed him

dumb.

He became

withdrawn.

Spending his days drawing.

Ernie yearned for the days when his life seemed this

frozen.

The only person who ever understood him.

Was Nanette.

She was a little Jewish girl,

whose parents owned the deli next door.

She loved birds

and her hair smells like

cinnamon.

He liked to draw her.

And promised

they'd get married on a gondola in venice

ate spaghetti

and raise pigeons.

Ernie's mother called her

an extrovert.

She was a peacock.

Ernie a little grey sparrow with broken wings.

On her eighth birthday

Ernie gave her

a duck egg.

She named it.

After her favorite singer.

Edith.

Their friendship blossomed.

And at night.

They sent messages via morse code.

He told her how much he liked her cinnamon flavored hair.

She told him ways to be more brave.

Be the windscreen nanny.

Not the insect.

But one night

their happiness was suddenly taken away.

The Germans invaded.

Nanette and her family disappeared.

Forever.

The years had dribbled on

and all Ernie had to remember her by

was his drawing.

And an aging Edith.

Wak !

Life would become style and wrinkled.

The dead pigeons arrival had triggered tender memories

and like most of his problems.

He tried to numb them.

Ernie's brain began to swirl.

And the dead pigeon began to talk.

Iza witzry

Adea.

Tadzè itzre.

Itzre.

Something inside Ernie shifted.

The pigeon was right

it was time to be brave, time to give his life...

...A dusting.

In a burst of courage

he sold his store

and bought a one way ticket to Venice.

The world was there oyster.

Venice would be the Pearl.

Ernie's oyster had become...

A clan.

They staggered out into the weirdness.

It grew dark.

They drifted aimlessly looking for somewhere to stay.

Eventually they gave up

taking refuge amongst some refuse.

Ernie awoke to find he'd been robbed of his clothes hat money...

...and dignity.

And then.

A man with a machete arrived.

But the stranger was kind.

He owned the takeaway and his name was...

Tiny.

He took them in and lent Ernie some clothes.

Then fill their bellies with Australian deep fried delicacies.

Chiko rolls. Dim sims.

And a mysterious black substance called

Vegemite.

They could stay as long as they liked.

Ernie would sleep on the ping pong.

Fetus in one of Tiny's woks.

Ernie wrote down his name.

Tiny decided to translate it to something more Australian.

Ernie biscuit.

After explaining the predicament.

Tiny encouraged Ernie to find a job.

While he minded he does.

Australia was a land of milk and honey and beer...

Tiny said.

Ernie would raise the cash for Venice in no time.

After hours of wandering and worrying.

He stumbled across some street vendors.

Ernie's problems were solved.

Tiny was very impressed and suggested they celebrate.

With beer.

They boost will into the night and got to know each other.

Ernie learned that Tiny was as lonely as he was.

And often walked in the rain so no one could see him cry.

That night he scoured the lonely hearts hoping to find another pie

to share his pod.

He encouraged Ernie to do the same.

Tony said.

There were plenty of Australian ladies desperate to meet a classy foreigner.

They'd come flocking like seagulls to a bag of chips.

Tiny found Ernie a date.

Angelina.

Tiny arranged a meeting.

He lend Ernie he's lucky hat and tuxedo t-shirt.

Then doused him in Cologne

and sent him off to the local singles bar.

Ernie was overwhelmed.

Angelina was beautiful.

Beautiful beyond words.

Of which of course he had none to offer.

She felt his presence

and questioned his silence.

The tension built.

Ernie grew nervous and trembly.

And subconsciously began tapping morse code.

As Angelina was the daughter of a lighthouse keeper

to Ernie's shock and delight.

She tapped back.

Through the power of touch the date began

and stories unfolded.

Blind since birth.

Angelina was a lonely virgin who spent her days whittling wooden animals.

Her only friends.

She was an empty notebook waiting to be written.

And her yearning for love was finally attained

when a traveling ice sculptor came to town

and chiseled his way.

Into her heart.

Their love was instant

but it was flawed.

He was full of vices.

Whiskey was his master

he was an enigma, wrapped in a mustache.

Floating in a bottle of virility.

They were to be wed.

The whole town came.

But he...

never did.

She traveled the world in search of another flame.

But to no avail.

The sands in her hour glass were running dry.

And her loneliness grew.

She even began to ride roller coasters.

Just to feel alive.

And yet just yesterday she had met with a clairvoyant

who foresaw she only had one last chance in love.

He'd be tall.

Handsome

and smell like the sea.

Ernie was enamored.

He felt the impulse to draw her portrait

in braille.

The heart melted.

She kissed his handsome nose

as his Cologne filled her nostrils.

He smelled like the sea.

He was the one.

Love glued this splintered hearts together.

They threw caution to the wind and set course for Venice.

She packed her bags while Ernie went together Edith and farewell Tiny.

She whittled while she waited.

But life still had one more challenge for any.

Tiny's takeaway was locked and barred.

Something was askew.

He picked into Tiny's upstairs room and

filled with horror.

Tiny was a fraud.

A bold wolf in sheep's clothing.

All he wanted from the beginning.

Was Edith juicy flesh.

Ernie was light.

Angelina's paranoia began to rise.

So many men had led her down.

Ernie became desperate.

There was only one way in.

It was time to be the windscreen.

Not the insect.

Fortune had favoured the brave.

Ernie had become the windscreen.

And Angelina had found a tall handsome man.

Who smelled like the sea.

He does admire the new whittled Blake.

Their love was blind.

And the silence was golden.

-x-x-x-