When I lived in Maine 30 years ago I heard a story about a woman that has to go into town for something for several days. She left her husband on the farm to tend to things. While she was gone the cow died and this let to a whole series of events. When she comes home she asked how everything went and he replies, "Just fine, the cow died..." Does anyone know this story??

-- Tang J. (tang@mtaonline.net), September 27, 2000

Answers

A similar story:

A wealthy gentleman was out of town on a business trip. His hired hand picked him up at the airport. "How are things at the ranch?", asked the gent. "Well, mostly OK, except that your dog died", he replied. "My dog died??!! My prize setter died??!! How did that happen??" "We think it must have been some bad horse meat." "Bad horse meat! Where in the world would he get bad horse meat??" "Well, we saw him chewing on the dead horse and chased him off, but I guess it was too late." "Dead Horse??!! What dead horse??!!" "Oh you know, the stud." "The stud??!! My champion stud is dead?? What killed my stud??!!" "Well, he died in the fire." "The fire??!!" "Yeah, the barn fire." "My barn burned??!! What caused my barn to burn??!!" "I think the sparks blew over from the house." "The house??!! My house is burned too??!! How did that happen??!!" "It was the candles, I think. Caught the bedroom curtains on fire." "Candles??!! Bedroom curtains??!! Why would there be candles near my bedroom curtains??!!" "Your wife and her lover. . ."

-- Paul Hoyt (hoyt@egyptian.net), March 24, 2001.