The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

IT WAS THE NIGHT OF THE ST. THOMAS HIGH SCHOOL REUNION
DANCE, HELD AT THE ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE PARISH IN
DETROIT {MICHIGAN}. A FEW OF MY OLD CLASSMATES GOT BORED
WITH THE DANCE AND DECIDED TO GO FOR A RIDE. THEY LATER
CAME BACK WITH A RATHER STRANGE ACCOUNT OF THAT RIDE.
JOE, LOU, AND DAVE WERE RIDING AROUND IN GROSSE POINT
WHEN THEY FOUND THEMSELVES IN A PRIVATE DRIVE THAT LED TO A
PRIVATE GOLF COURSE. SO THEY FIGURED THAT WHILE THEY WERE
THERE, THEY WOULD GO AND SEE WHAT THE COURSE LOOKED LIKE.
THEY PULLED UP A FEW HUNDRED FEET, STOPPED, AND SHUT OFF
THE HEADLIGHTS. IN THE DARKNESS, THEY COULD MAKE OUT
SHAPES MOVING AROUND, SHAPES WHICH LOOKED LIKE LITTLE
MEN RUNNING AROUND--LIKE PIGMIES. THE THREE OF THEM WERE
GOING TO GET OUT OF THE CAR TO GET A CLOSER LOOK, BUT THE
FLASHLIGHT DIDN'T WORK, SO THEY DECIDED TO STAY INSIDE.
LATER, THEY LEFT TO COME BACK TO THE DANCE WITH THE
INTENTION OF GOING BACK WITH A WORKING FLASHLIGHT.
ON HEARING THEIR STORY WHEN THEY RETURNED, WE WANTED TO GO
AND SEE FOR OURSELVES, BUT JOE, LOU, AND DAVE DIDN'T
FEEL UP TO DIRECTING US. SO WE ENDED UP TALKING ABOUT
IT ALL NIGHT AND FOR SOMETIME AFTER.
ABOUT A YEAR LATER, I FOUND THAT THERE REALLY WERE NO
PIGMIES AT ALL. IT WAS ALL A BIG JOKE THAT THE THREE
FELLOWS HAD COME UP WITH TO PLAY ON US ALL.
NOW THOUGH, THE STORY OF THE PIGMY GOLF COURSE LIVES
ON. IF YOU ASK ANY OF MY FRIENDS ABOUT IT, THEY WILL TELL
YOU ABOUT THE SAME STORY.

Submitter comment: STORY OF LITTLE MEN (PYGMIES) RUNNING AROUND A GOLF COURSE AT NIGHT
TOLD AS HOAX, STORY SURVIVES, THOUGH MADE UP FOR THE OCCASION.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: NOT GIVEN