Buttons, The First Tale of Joey Bananas
Living in a Home in a run down sea side town resort, Joey Bananas is a lonely boy. He doesn’t see much, but he sees and dreams a world of his own imagination.
When he finds the time, he draws his world on a pavement near the beach. No one takes any notice of him, and every day his dreams fade away overnight.
One day, a stray dog sits and watches him, and Joey’s world begins to change…forever.
Joey’s story is one that begins in loneliness but gradually widens to find love, friendship and the ability to communicate through his artistic way of seeing the world and the people around him. As Joey and Buttons move forward into this new world, they discover the ability of art to communicate widely and draw people and communities together. Each of them, in their own way also learns, for the first time, about love and being there for each other when it matters.
Who Is Joey?
Joey is an orphan who knows that his mother died a little while after he was born. He doesn’t know who is father is, or if he is still alive. He has been brought up being looked after by foster families, but never adopted, and has ended up in a children’s home. He is naturally quiet and thoughtful and keeps himself to himself. He doesn’t seem to have much in common with the other boys in the home, or children at school. He doesn’t cause trouble, just stays in the background. He was given a little job by a local shop owner who likes to try and help the boys in the home. He is hard working, on time, and very reliable for someone so young. Initially mainly delivering papers, by the time we meet him, he helps take in fresh produce and plan deliveries, which he takes out before school. The shop owner tries to help him, giving him food and paying him pocket money for his work.
Because he spend his time alone he has become very observant and pays great attention to the sea, the boats, the weather, and the people around him. He draws instinctively, initially on scraps of paper but gradually using his pocket money from the shop to buy sketch pads, pencils and chalks. When he needs to create larger images, he uses the pavement.
Joey has never known what is is to be loved. Although his foster homes have been kind and the Home is well run, if lacking money, no one has ever paid him any attention or really cared for him.
When he takes Buttons into his life they teach one another about love.
From the beginning, Joey realises he needs to provide shelter and warmth and food for Buttons, and Buttons recognises in Joey the person he will always be able to trust and love unconditionally. Their friendship transforms both of them, becoming more together than they were alone. At first the transformation is simple, warmth, friendship, food, caring for each others well being, but also beginning a journey together that will leave a mark on their world, and the people they come into contact with.
What about Buttons?
Buttons is a stray. It’s never known if he ran away from a cruel owner, was simply abandoned or lost, but clearly no one has cared for him when he meets Joey. Buttons is a mix of all sorts but most dominant in him is poodle. This is because I based his appearance and his personality and behaviour on my dog, Noodle, who is a pedigree poodle and very loved and cared for.
Poodles are very intelligent dogs and love people, so they can be very expressive and communicative. They can also be playful, cheeky, highly energetic, and very mischievous! They are very loving and caring dogs, and in Noodle’s case, a fearless adventurer! Who hates water! Show him a mountain and he’ll race you to the top, but show him a bath and he’ll run and hide!