The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE HITCHHIKER

A TRAVELING SALESMAN WHOSE ROUTE WAS FROM NEW YORK CITY
TO DETROIT {MICHIGAN} TO DAYTON {OHIO}, WAS TRAVELING
DOWN A DIRT ROAD, WHEN HIS HEADLIGHTS PICKED UP THE
FORM OF A MAN IN A LONG COAT, HAT PULLED OVER HIS
EYES, AND WITH VERY SHINY TEETH, HITCHHIKING. OF
COURSE THE SALESMAN DID NOT PICK THIS MAN UP, BECAUSE
HE WAS AFRAID OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. THE MAN STOPPED
IN THE FIRST CITY HE GOT TO, AND SPENT THE NIGHT
THERE. THE NEXT DAY, UPON LEAVING THE CITY, HE RAN
INTO THIS SAME HITCHHIKER AGAIN, THESE OCCURANCES
HAPPENED TIME AFTER TIME AND THE SALESMAN WAS STARTING
TO GET WORRIED. AFTER SPENDING THE NIGHT IN ONE CITY,
HE NOTICED THAT HE HADN'T SEEN THE HITCHHIKER UPON
LEAVING THE CITY. THE SALESMAN FELT THAT THE HITCH-
HIKER'S OCCURANCES WERE JUST A COINCIDENCE, WHEN
ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE HEARD A NOISE FROM THE BACK
SEAT, HE TURNED AND THERE SAT THE HITCHHIKER WITH
THOSE PEARL WHITE TEETH GIVING OFF A BIG GRIN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; DORM ROOM

Date learned: 11-05-1967