Hasta La Ideas

The illustrated short story explores sexuality, companionship and memory through a unique lens

“Happy Bunny, Honey”, the debut fiction piece by Cool Hunting friend and contributor, Davey Barrett, is an illustrated storybook for adults. Recognizing that sex is often broached with both childlike emotion and animalistic intent, the story follows an aging female rabbit as she prowls her local bar for a lover. The story applies human eyes and morality to the hyper-sexual world of Dahl-like rabbits, asking “Why, tonight, would this creature go home alone?” and creating an absurdly alluring universe in the imagined hollows of any backyard.

Featuring the art of Chris Tucci, who curates the Ace Hotel’s Sunday Night Live Music Series and whose work adorns the hotel’s walls, the vignette sets an eerie bar scene that’s equal parts dark and humorous. The illustrations carry a numb black and white electricity, chaotic lines amass to shade a lonely sub-terrain. The artwork and the words merge seamlessly, bringing to life a world filled with short memories, fast affairs and empty fixes toward fulfillment.

In the end, Barrett leaves the reader feeling unsettled and desirous of more, hinting at the continued uncertainty of his protagonist’s existence. “Happy Bunny, Honey” is available digitally on Amazon.