a propos of nothing at all.

Once there was a builder of houses. He was very proud of the houses he'd built and he just 'knew' what was possible and what wasn't.

One day a guy roles into the office with plans for a one legged platform house, decorated in purple and orange flock wallpaper and crimson cladding made from recycled socks. "Here, look at these designs, they're breathtaking, aren't they?" he says to the builder. The builder looks and agrees, his breath is certainly taken away by the whole staggering audacity of the concept.

"Could it be built?" asks the designer? "Well, yes..." says the builder, knowing that anything that can be conceived can be made, the only limitations being mere technicalities. He also knows that saying anything to the contrary would be a lie.

"Well, build it then..." says the designer and introduces the builder to a crack team of carpenters, bricklayers, electricians and plumbers. They all look at each other and say "Can this be built?" and then as one say "Heck sure it can!" and they set to work with a passion.

When the building is finished they hold a grand opening but to their dismay the Great Unwashed Masses scream out loud "It's a monstrosity! What were you thinking? Where are the doors? How did I get up to the platform? And what's with the flock wallpaper? It's so... garish...". A few voices in the crowd say "Well, if you squint your eyes up and look at it sideways it's kind of interesting" or "Hmm, I guess I could get used to it..." or even "Well, it's not what I'd call a house but I guess I could live in it for a while till we redecorate and remodel and rebuild..."

The builders all look at each other and at the designer. There is much shrugging and shuffling of feet and they start wandering off to do other jobs on other houses. But wherever they go, towering above them is the one legged platform house with the orange and purple wallpaper and red, red cladding.

The last anyone saw of them they were standing round pointing at each other and saying "He made the doors!" "Yeah, but you made the walls..." "Well the carpets were fitted nicely..." and the Designer was standing way of to one side shouting pointing at the Builder and shouting "But HE said it could be built..."



a propos of nothing, just saying.