The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

NO WONDER BUSINESS IS DROPPING OFF!

A UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT STUDENT WHO LIVES IN THE
DORMITORIES DOES ODD JOBS FOR {SOMETHING MISSING}
ON SATURDAYS. EVERY SO OFTEN, HE DROPS IN TO TALK
OR TO ASK MY HUSBAND FOR ADVICE ON ACCOUNTING PROBLEMS,
ETC. SUNDAY EVENING WAS JUST THAT KIND OF A DROP-IN
VISIT.
WE TALKED FOR A WHILE AND THEN I SERVED SOME CAKE, COFFEE,
AND ICE CREAM. CONVERSATION AT THE TABLE TURNED TO THE
FACT THAT THERE WERE FEW GOOD EATING PLACES AROUND THE
UNIVERSITY. HE TOLD US THAT EVEN THE TEMPLES, A
RESTAURANT AT LIVERNOIS AND PURITAN, WAS SUPPOSED TO
CLOSE EVERY NIGHT FROM MIDNIGHT TO 6 A.M. BECAUSE
THEY COULDN'T GET HELP FOR THAT SHIFT. (THEY HAD BEEN
A 24-HOUR RESTAURANT.) THEN WE TALKED ABOUT HOW THE
TEMPLES HAS RUN DOWN SINCE THE NEW MANAGEMENT TOOK OVER,
ABOUT THE POOR FOOD, POOR SERVICE, ETC.
AFTER COFFEE, OUR STUDENT FRIEND, IN A "BOY-HAVE-I-GOT-
SOMETHING-TO-SAY-THAT-WILL-SHOCK-YOU!" TONE, ANNOUNCED:
"WELL, NOW THAT WE'VE EATEN, I CAN TELL YOU SOMETHING
THAT HAPPENED AT THE TEMPLES. SOME GUYS {U OF D
STUDENTS} TOOK A FORMALDEHYDED FROG OVER THERE AND PUT
IT ON A DISH. YOU KNOW THAT THEY'RE PRETTY SLOPPY, SO
THEY DIDN'T GET AROUND TO CLEANING OFF THE DISH, AND
SOME DRUNK CAME IN AND ATE THE FROG."
"THAT'S NOT TRUE," I EXCLAIMED. "WELL, MRS. PLACHTA,"
HE SAID, 'MY BUDDY TOLD ME IT WAS TRUE, BUT I"M GIVING
YOU SECOND-HANDED {INFORMATION}." AFTER I RECOVERED
FROM MY FEIGNED SHOCK, HE ADDED, "IN FACT, MY ROOMMATE
SAYS THAT THE DRUNK DIED."

Submitter comment: IF THIS DOESN'T BECOME A U OF D LEGEND, IT WON'T BE
BECAUSE I DIDN'T RECORD IT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 05-23-1965