The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

A SLIP OF THE TONGUE

MY BROTHER, JOHN, USED TO TELL THE STORY ABOUT THE
THREE FELLOWS WHO WENT TO SEE AN OLD FRIEND OF
THEIR'S, WHO WAS VERY SICK. NOW THEY KNEW THAT HE
WAS ABOUT TO DIE, SO THEY WENT TO CHEER HIM UP A
LITTLE. WELL, THEY WENT UP TO HIS ROOM, AND HE
LOOKED JUST TERRIBLE. YOU'D HAVE THOUGHT HE WAS
DEATH ITSELF. THREE MEN STAYED A WHILE, TALKED
AND CHEERED HIM, TELLING HIM HOW GOOD HE LOOKED, AND
HOW THEY WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING HIM UP AND
AROUND AGAIN. THINGS WENT REAL FINE, AND BY THE
TIME THEY WERE READY TO LEAVE, THEY HAD MADE THE
FELLOW FEEL REAL GOOD. BUT THEN ON THE WAY OUT,
ONE OF THE MEN BUMPED HIS HEAD ON THE DOOR THAT
WAS LOW. AS HE DID THIS, HE YELLED OUT, "IF
THEY DON'T GET THIS DOOR FIXED PRETTY QUICK, THEY'RE
GOING TO HAVE A DEVIL OF A TIME GETTIN' THE COFFIN
OUT OF HERE."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT