THE CAMEL STORY

THERE WAS ONCE A MAN WHO WANTED TO BE WEALTHY ENOUGH TO TRAVEL
AROUND THE WORLD. HE DECIDED ON THIS AT THE AGE OF SIXTEEN AND
CAME UP WITH A SCHEDULE TO FOLLOW IN ORDER TO SAVE ENOUGH MONEY
TO GO ON THIS TRIP AT AN EARLY AGE. WHEN HE FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL
HE WENT STRAIGHT TO COLLEGE. HE GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE AT THE
AGE OF TWENTY-0NE AND FOUND A JOB. HE WORKED FOR A FEW YEARS
AND FOUND THAT HE WAS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. HE THOUGHT HE WOULD BE
ABLE TO SUPPORT A WIFE SO HE GOT MARRIED. HE FOUND THAT HE WORKED
ALL DAY AND HIS WIFE SPENT ALL THE MONEY HE WOULD EARN. HE
DICOVERED HE WAS OFF SCHEDULE AND COULD NO LONGER AFFORD TO BE
MARRIED. HE EXPLAINED THE SITUATION TO HIS WIFE, AND SHE UNDERSTOOD
HIS SITUATION. SHE AGREED TO A DIVORCE. THE MAN BEGAN SAVING AGAIN.
BY NOW HE WAS FORTY-FIVE. HE WANTED TO GO ON THE TRIP BY THE AGE
OF SIXTY-FIVE. HE WORKED AND WORKED AND GOT AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
HE WAS NOW FIFTY-FIVE AND THOUGHT HE COULD MARRY AGAIN. SO HE
CALLED HIS EX-WIFE AND SHE AGREED TO REMARRY HIM. THINGS WERE
HAPPY UNTIL HE REACHED THE AGE OF SIXTY. HE DISCOVERED HE WAS OFF
SCHEDULE AGAIN AND ASKED HIS WIFE FOR A DIVORCE AGAIN. SHE, BEING
A GOOD PERSON, AGREED. HE NOW HAD FIVE YEARS TO WORK AND BUILD UP
THE NECESSARY CASH RESERVES. FINALLY, AT THE AGE OF SIXTY-FIVE
HE HAD ENOUGH MONEY AND LEFT ON HIS TRIP. HE WENT EVERYWHERE. HE
SAW THE GRAND CANYON. HE WENT TO HAWAII AND DANCED WITH THE HULA
GIRLS. HE SAW ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND AND WENT TO THE VINEYARDS OF
FRANCE. HE WENT TO EGYPT TO SEE THE PYRAMIDS. HE WENT TO AFRICA
ON A HUNT. HE WAS NOW ON THE EDGE OF THE SAHARA DESERT. HE WAS
RUNNING OUT OF MONEY BUT WANTED TO TAKE A TRIP ACROSS THE DESERT
BEFORE HE WENT HOME. HE WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE WHEN HE LOOKED THROUGH
HIS FIELD GLASSES AND SAW SOMETHING OUT IN THE DESERT.
"DO YOU SEE ANYTHING OUT THERE?" HE ASKED A CAMEL JOCKEY.
"NO", SAID THE CAMEL JOCKEY. HE TOOK ANOTHER LOOK THROUGH HIS
FIELD GLASS AND COULD SWEAR HE SAW SOMETHING. NOW HE WAS CAPTIVATED.
HE DECIDED TO STAY AND WAIT TO SEE WHAT WAS OUT THERE. HE WAITED
UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING AND ASKED THE SAME CAMEL JOCKEY IF HE SAW
ANYTHING OUT IN THE DESERT. THE CAMEL JOCKEY LOOKED THROUGH THE
FIELD GLASSES. HE SAID, "I THINK I SEE SOMETHING. IT'S ABOUT TWO
DAYS OUT." THIS MADE THE MAN EVEN MORE INTERESTED AND ANXIOUS TO
SEE WHAT IT WAS. HE DECIDED TO SIT AND WAIT UNTIL HE COULD FIND
OUT WHAT IT WAS OUT IN THE DESERT. BY THIS TIME IT WAS NEARING
HIS DEPARTURE TIME HOME TO THE USA. HE GOT UP THE NEXT MORNING
AND COULD SEE SOMETHING. IT LOOKED LIKE A CAMEL WITH SOME PEOPLE.
HE COULDN'T QUITE MAKE OUT WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE. NOW HE WAS
REALLY INTERESTED. HE DECIDED TO FORGET ABOUT THE TRIP ACROSS
THE DESERT AND WAIT UNTIL THE PEOPLE CAME INTO THE OASIS. THE
NEXT MORNING HE GOT UP AND COULD MAKE OUT THE PEOPLE WITH THE
CAMEL. THERE WAS A MAN ON THE CAMEL AND A WOMAN WITH A BABY WALKING
BEHIND. THEY WERE ABOUT TWELVE HOURS OUT. THE MAN WAITED
PATIENTLY. AT ABOUT NOON HE LOOKED OUT INTO THE DESERT AGAIN. NOW
HE COULD MAKE OUT THE PICTURE CLEARLY. THE MAN STOPPED THE CAMEL
AND LET THE WOMAN CHANGE THE BABY. AFTER SHE WAS FINISHED HE GOT
BACK ON THE CAMEL AND CONTINUED THE JOURNEY. THE WOMAN TRAILED
BEHIND AND KEPT FALLING IN THE SAND WITH THE BABY. NOW THE MAN
WAS UPSET. WHY WOULDN'T THE MAN LET THE WOMAN RIDE THE CAMEL?
HE DECIDED HE WOULD WAIT AND ASK THE DRIVER. FINALLY AT ABOUT
SIX P.M. THE MAN RODE THE CAMEL IN AND HIS WIFE FOLLOWED BEHIND.
FIRST THE MAN GOT A DRINK OF WATER THEN HE LET HIS CAMEL DRINK.
AFTER THE CAMEL FINISHED DRINKING THEN IT WAS THE WIFE'S TURN.
NOW THE MAN WAS ENRAGED. HE ASKED THE CAMEL JOCKEY, " WHY WOULDN'T
YOU LET YOUR WIFE RIDE THE CAMEL?!!" THE CAMEL JOCKEY ANSWERED,"
BECAUSE IN OUR COUNTRY IT IS A CUSTOM FOR THE MAN TO RIDE THE
CAMEL." HAVING RECEIVED THE ANSWER, THE MAN FINISHED HIS JOURNEY
HOME.

Submitter comment: THIS STORY WAS TOLD TO ME BY AN ENGLISH TEACHER BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL.
IT ORIGINATED IN THE DESERT DURING WWII. IT WAS PASSED ALONG THROUGH
THE TROOPS AND MADE IT HOME TO THE USA. IT WAS DESIGNED TO AD-LIB
TO FIT THE MOOD OF THE TELLER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; CHEBOYGAN

James Callow Keyword(s): SHAGGY DOG STORY

Date learned: 00-00-1980