Klamath Falls, 1963

by Not That Mike The Other Mike on March 12, 2009

OK, so me and my friend Danny get to go camping, except Danny’s mom said that Danny’s sister Marlys had to come too, and my mom made me take my brother Ralph and said we couldn’t hike fast on account of he has asthma and stuff.

And Marlys had this big crush on me, but of course she pretended she didn't.

So we were in the forest, and Marlys said she was pretty sure that this is where Old Man Morris lives, who’s supposed to be this scary old guy with a hook for a hand who cooks little kids and eats ‘em.  And I said "cut it out, Marlys, that’s just a ghost story."

But we stuck together anyway, just to be safe.

"Is not," says Marlys.  "Jimmy Beaverton saw him when he took a short cut home from Jamboree last summer.  There was this wheezy voice saying ‘My, you’re a tasty thing, aren’t ya?’ and that’s when he saw him."

"Oh, Jimmy Beaverton eats boogers and thinks Howdy Doody is real," I tell her.  "What does he know?"  And she says "Fine — you’re so smart, let’s see you walk down there by yourself."

                    um, OK...

So now I have to do it or I’ll look stupid.  And then the forest gets really quiet, and the birds stop singing all at once, and all I can hear is the snow crunch under my feet.  And then I stop, and I hear something … wheezing.

( I'm *not* a tasty thing, I'm *not* a tasty thing... )

So Marlys screams at me and Danny screams at Marlys and Ralphie just screams at everybody, and we all run back to camp the whole way without stopping.  Anyway, it turns out the wheezing was just because Ralphie couldn’t find his inhaler.

But we never went back there anyway, just to be safe.

Photos from Jennifer T. (with an assist from Alexis M. & Sarah F.S.)

{ 1 trackback }

Natural Dog Daily Best Puppy
03.12.09 at 6:30 pm

{ 104 comments }

1 Nancy 03.12.09 at 6:33 pm

Way toooooo cute!

2 Space Cowgirl 03.12.09 at 6:33 pm

Linking my Lab-loving, ski-loving Canadian BF to this, as I’m sure it’s his personal version of Heaven. <3

3 emudoug 03.12.09 at 6:34 pm

fantastic story! cute puppies! this post has it all!

4 Mo 03.12.09 at 6:34 pm

I’m scared!

5 Theo 03.12.09 at 6:39 pm

EPIC WIN

6 DKN 03.12.09 at 6:41 pm

This just may be my favorite NTMTOM creation to date. Bloody Brill, Bro.

7 Lerrinus 03.12.09 at 6:44 pm

You’ve really outdone yourself, NOMTOM, great work!

8 starling 03.12.09 at 6:44 pm

I just -knew- it’d be Ralphie!

9 Patinkular 03.12.09 at 6:49 pm

Mike, your captions are hilarious. This one, plus the mafia accountant white cat. Keep up the good work.

10 nads 03.12.09 at 6:50 pm

Brill-e-ant!

11 balamuthia 03.12.09 at 6:52 pm

Theo took the words right out of my mouth- er, keyboard!

WIN!

12 hyura 03.12.09 at 6:53 pm

i second DKN. this narrative just hit my heart.

seriously, the puppies were at first all walking together like that?

13 paigeygirl 03.12.09 at 6:53 pm

Ahh, they’re Oregon puppies! (Klamath Falls scares me, too, guys.)

14 TW 03.12.09 at 6:55 pm

And then me and Danny double-human-dared Ralphie to stick his tongue against the frozen flagpole…

15 Kathleen 03.12.09 at 6:56 pm

Oh my… I don’t know which is better: the photos or your descriptions. It’s too much!

16 shahinrani 03.12.09 at 6:56 pm

Oh, they are tasty things!!!

17 The Other One Michelle 03.12.09 at 6:59 pm

I heart your stories.

18 shahinrani 03.12.09 at 7:00 pm

That sounded creepy. I MEANT that they are adorable and I would nibble their ears.

…I do not eat puppies.

19 Fuzzball 03.12.09 at 7:02 pm

I keep reading this over and over and over again because it makes me laugh so hard. INSTANT FAVORITE!! Love love love LOVE it!!

20 lrm 03.12.09 at 7:07 pm

Cutest puppies EVER (though I seem to say that every time)!

I loves me lab pups, especially multiple lab pups!

21 Noelle 03.12.09 at 7:07 pm

I see a blockbuster. The next Blair Witch…only better….and with puppies. Oh you have to sell this idea to Disney…no, no, no…Tim Burton. Johnny Depp in the lead, natch, and Helena Bonham Carter as Marlys. I’d go see it!

TW…”double-human-dared” had me in stiches :)

22 Kal# 03.12.09 at 7:15 pm

Nomtom, this is just great. It made my day. Thank you.

23 Alice 03.12.09 at 7:15 pm

Whenever someone says the word “puppy” THIS is the sort of puppy I imagine in my head. Perfect in every way.

24 Paunchie 03.12.09 at 7:16 pm

That was adorable, perfect little story!! Ha ha. I lubbs the one with the snow on his schnozzle!

25 Puppies Are Prozac 03.12.09 at 7:16 pm

Great storytelling! You must have been fun at sleepovers and camping trips with your pals.

26 catlovechanel 03.12.09 at 7:18 pm

Aren’t they such natural posers? oooo, aaa.

This should go to the Cute Lab for cute-in-tas-tic investigation.
(yuck yuck)

What if in the next installment, they met the 4 mafia black cats in the alley.

I’d bet on the cats.

27 Kar 03.12.09 at 7:30 pm

Yes, they are definitely tasty things. Who should be wrapped in sweaters like Beef Wellington or at least a corndog.

BTW, did anyone else catch that classic Princess Di look in the first pic?

28 Natalie 03.12.09 at 7:34 pm

first thought: OMG puppies!!!1!!
second thought:
BWAHAHAHAHAHHAHHA

Love it, NTMTOM.

29 pitu 03.12.09 at 7:40 pm

Fabulous!! hahahaaaa

30 AuntieMame 03.12.09 at 7:52 pm

LOLing out loud, NOMTOM!

And they drove away and when they got home…there was a hook hanging from the car door handle! o.O

31 Eastie 03.12.09 at 7:52 pm

Seconding Theo and DKN. I’ll take all 4 puppies please!

32 Eastie 03.12.09 at 7:58 pm

Also, rule #28 for pup second in from the right!

33 Paunchie 03.12.09 at 7:58 pm

1st pic – second puppy from the right must be Marlys! She looks like she has a little crush on the other one!

34 Eastie 03.12.09 at 7:59 pm

…in the first picture, that is.

35 katiedid 03.12.09 at 7:59 pm

LOL.. Great story!!!

36 Jess 03.12.09 at 8:03 pm

This story is entirely too cute! Love it!

37 Samantha 03.12.09 at 8:09 pm

Awesome! Love the puppies and the story.

38 Ladybug 03.12.09 at 8:14 pm

@ AuntieMame: hook hanging from the car door … LOL!!!

Adorable pups, awesome story.

39 Lily Burana 03.12.09 at 8:16 pm

I applaud the literary merit of this suspenseful tale! Oh, and the cuteness!

I’m havin’ puppies for dinnerrrrrrrr. (reaching for Yellow Lab at end of bed)

40 tracyflick 03.12.09 at 8:26 pm

I. Can’t. Take. It.

!!!!!!

I can’t breathe right now.

41 kodalai 03.12.09 at 8:47 pm

Hovertext lies! You ARE a tasty thing!!

OM NOM NOM!

42 Jennifer Conroy 03.12.09 at 8:49 pm

Does Lynda Barry get any credit for inspiring this story?
:)

J

43 Not That Mike The Other Mike 03.12.09 at 8:58 pm

@Jennifer Conroy: Yep. :-) I’ve enjoyed her work for a long time.

44 Theo 03.12.09 at 9:13 pm

PS – snoseflakes!

45 Noelegy 03.12.09 at 9:29 pm

First thought: DOGBUTTS!!!!!!

Second thought: Why can’t I live somewhere that looks like that? Preferably with puppies.

46 skip 03.12.09 at 9:35 pm

LOL – excellent narrative!

47 FuzzBob Chubbypants 03.12.09 at 9:39 pm

CO Peeps — I need your help. I just read a really, really, really, really sad article in the paper. Now I’m super sad. Need something to perk me up. More cute?

48 Camille 03.12.09 at 9:54 pm

This is too scary for me. I must hug a puppy immediately. Or, ideally, four puppies.

49 PJ 03.12.09 at 10:05 pm

There’s a children’s book in there somewhere.

50 Theo 03.12.09 at 10:18 pm

PJ — I’ve been scrutinizing those photos for hours and I just can’t see it.

I’m pretty sure I found Waldo, though.

51 DanBenZvi 03.12.09 at 10:28 pm

That was thoroughly awesome, NOMTOM.

52 Alice 03.12.09 at 10:38 pm

FuzzBob…check out this video, stat! It was posted here a while back but is worth the re-watch… a baby goat jumping around. Best of luck. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfUqVa-Y3go

53 starling 03.12.09 at 10:40 pm

I don’t know what it is with the world nowadays, FuzzBob. My brother in law teaches at a technical school north of Stuttgart. Needless to say we almost had a heart-attack when we saw the news yesterday. Luckily it wasn’t his school, but this guy ran rampant around his neighbourhood. Yikes.

54 Scott 03.12.09 at 10:53 pm

Let’s do a Lynda Barry shout-out Meg! This was a hilarious riff on her – classic.

55 BouvieGal 03.12.09 at 10:58 pm

Lynda Barry? Hmm. I was thinking NTMTOM’s post reminded me of Stephen King’s “The Body” which got adapted into the movie “Stand By Me”…either way, LOVE the post, NTMTOM!

56 Not That Mike The Other Mike 03.12.09 at 11:02 pm

@BouvieGal: Now that you bring it up, I think I blended a little Stephen King *and* Lynda Barry in that post.

And thanks to all for the nice comments. This was a lot of fun to write, and I’m glad you enjoyed it, too.

57 manda 03.12.09 at 11:28 pm

i stopped in klamath falls once, in the dead of the night. i can tell you from experience those are brave puppies! fantastic captions! (and nice nod to beaverton.)

58 cath 03.12.09 at 11:48 pm

Yeah, I had flashbacks to Stand By Me and to the Lynda Barry comics and also to A Christmas Story (I think TW was hinting at that one, too) plus this one time at summer camp when the counsellors kept us up late telling spooky stories, and then there was a loud crash and the cabin door swung open and the candle blew out…. yeah, that was scary. Wonderful post NOMTOM; I loved it.

59 auntyb 03.12.09 at 11:50 pm

I would love to have a camp out with all the co peeps, toast marshmallows and have NOMTOM tell us stories all night.

60 Szilvia 03.12.09 at 11:58 pm

@ BouvieGal:
So I wasn’t the only one associating to Stand By Me?!

@ NTMTOM:
The narration of the pups’ adventure was like a mashup of The Goonies and A Christmas Story, Stand By Me and for some reason -IT!

Great story telling and omg puppies!!1! =D

61 ang 03.13.09 at 12:02 am

Lynda Barry land! i knew it would involve puppies!

62 mooseb 03.13.09 at 12:03 am

These babies are so cute. It made me cry, as we are currently struggling with the decision of having to euthanize our 14 year old black lab who can now longer walk on his own and has difficulties staying upright even to eat his food. Brings back wonderful memories of the day we brought home our 11 week old baby.

63 Mrs. McGinty 03.13.09 at 12:13 am

So WHAT HAPPENED when everybody got back to the cabin?

*waits impatiently for next chapter*

64 Lisa 03.13.09 at 12:38 am

sounds like a story from Lynda J Barry comics….

65 Michelle S. 03.13.09 at 1:45 am

I <3 NTMTOMike.

:D :D

66 Michael B 03.13.09 at 2:06 am

Klamath Falls? I don’t get the title. Is that a city in Oregon?

67 Gail (the first one) 03.13.09 at 2:10 am

@mooseb: What an awful dilemma to have. I know that whatever you decide, it will be because you love your sweet doggie. Keeping you in my thoughts….

68 Lucas 03.13.09 at 2:12 am

Loved the story! and the puppies!

69 Gail (the first one) 03.13.09 at 2:12 am

NTMTOM, you’re so funny!!! I truly enjoy your posts. I was thinking “Stand By Me”, too. BUT, I can also see how “It” would come to mind…..

Cute little puppers, too.

70 berthaservant 03.13.09 at 2:47 am

yes yes yes yes yes

This post is full of so much awesomeness I cannot comprehend.

NTMTOM, you are indeed the King of Just-Too-Muchery.

71 essensual 03.13.09 at 3:17 am

I was turned into an 8 year-old for a few minutes. What a great story! Thanks!!!

72 Elisha B 03.13.09 at 3:31 am

Just knew it was NTMTOM created story….awesome pups. Hope they had as much fun as we had seeing them.

73 totalee puppy 03.13.09 at 3:46 am

NTMTOM…Your stories are the best–so redonk and also so easy to believe. I’m sure you had a blast writing about the puppies–
sure was great to read.

74 LovelyAnomaly 03.13.09 at 3:48 am

This is one of the best stories yet! Keep it up NTMTOM!

75 totalee puppy 03.13.09 at 3:54 am

mooseb–caring thoughts to
you and your black lab-Awww, poor big baby–sounds like the beginning of more difficult times for
your nice dog, but that’s for the vet to say. We care here at CO–hope to hear from you.

76 kibblenibble 03.13.09 at 4:14 am

mooseb…I’m sorry, that’s so hard.

77 kibblenibble 03.13.09 at 4:14 am

And NOMTOM, I’ll get in line behind everyone else, but I love you, man…

78 Subhangi 03.13.09 at 4:37 am

EPIC WIN!

Good job, NOMTOM!

I LOVE labradors! ^_^

79 Mel2 03.13.09 at 5:11 am

I don’t understand the title either, and I grew up in Klamath Falls! Can someone please explain? How exciting to see my hometown featured on CO. Now if I can only figure out what it all means…. :o )

80 N. Fritz 03.13.09 at 5:46 am

mooseb, our wire-haired dachshund was 15 years old and in the same condition. The vet helped us make the decision with one simple question:

“Is she having any fun?”

81 Charley Kane 03.13.09 at 5:48 am

The puppy second from the right has a guilty look on his face- i think he’s in cahoots with Old Man Morris.

82 Stephsteph 03.13.09 at 5:49 am

Yeah, that story had Lynda Barry written all over it.

83 AuntieMame 03.13.09 at 6:17 am

I don’t know the Klamath Falls has any particular significance except for sounding hilarious. At least, that’s the significance it had for me.

84 SHannon 03.13.09 at 6:17 am

One of my all time favorite posts. Great pics, great story!

85 Hon Glad 03.13.09 at 6:39 am

If you go down to the woods today, your sure of a big supprise.

86 Chantel 03.13.09 at 9:52 am

Blimmin’ brilliant! I love CO anyway but the captions really make it! NTMTOM = genius :D

87 Pumpkin Giraffe 03.13.09 at 11:34 am

This was just what I needed this morning! Thanks, sender-inners!

88 Katrina 03.13.09 at 12:07 pm

mooseb- I’m so sorry for your situation. I’m thinking of you. Best wishes.

89 Saffron 03.13.09 at 12:17 pm

HILARIOUS!
I so remember telling the hook-man story when I was young.
Such adorable doggies!! Instant classic. Thanks for bringing cheer to a hideous work week!

90 Anne 03.13.09 at 1:20 pm

Pure brilliance. You really outdid yourself on this one, Mike.

91 Carlisa 03.13.09 at 1:32 pm

I want to see the entire movie, now! Tom who isn’t that Tom, but another Tom, needs to write for Disney. Great job!

92 Jenn in IL 03.13.09 at 2:00 pm

A) I am COMPLETELY head over heels for the one who says that he’s NOT a tasty treat. Holy crap, would you LOOK at that face??

B) Look at the size of the PAWS in the first picture…big doggies!

C) So clever. Loved it all.

93 zeldapie 03.13.09 at 2:18 pm

Oh wow, this brings back memories of summer camp and ghost stories and bratty kid sisters!

Hey wait, I’m the kid sister!

These pups are too anerable for words!!!!

94 ANaples 03.13.09 at 2:49 pm

Your captions are hilarious!!!

95 Noelle 03.13.09 at 3:02 pm

Mooseb…so sorry to hear about your doggie. It is a difficult decision. When we had to decide about our last pup, who had a tumor in her tummy, my Dad pointed out that quality or life should be taken over quantity. Our baby was in so much pain and there was nothing that could be done, so we let her go. I wish you luck and GOD bless!

Oh auntyb, count me in for the camp out, and I’ll bring the smores!

96 Laureling 03.13.09 at 4:11 pm

Mooseb, my heart goes out to you. As you can see by the comments a lot of us have been where you are now and you have our sympathy. You’ll know when it’s time, I know it’s not easy, but know that you have a bunch of virtual friends standing with you through this difficult time.

And also, OMG! Lab puppies! Squee!!!!!!!!

97 puglets rule 03.13.09 at 5:11 pm

Excellent ntmtom – as usual!!

Paunchie – that one is def Marlys! :)

98 Mary (the first) 03.13.09 at 5:48 pm

Love this.. I’m in the ” I heart NTMTOM” line too. Love the pups and the story.
Mooseb, we are all here for you but as someone said, the decision is easier if you just ask “is he having fun?” I read somewhere that you should think of their 3 favorite things to do, for example, “walkies, play with cat BFF, lunch” and when they can’t enjoy those 3 things any more.. it’s time.

99 Kristabelle 03.13.09 at 6:38 pm

NOMTOM, great storytelling!
Gorgeous pups!

Mooseb, you are in my thoughts during this difficult time. No time seems to be the right time. ((((HUGS))))

100 Starlight/Cyarra 03.13.09 at 8:13 pm

hey NO fair! How come they don’t have to wear their seatbelts but we do! That is a rip-off!

101 ruby 03.14.09 at 5:00 pm

as someone who got divorced in klamath falls 10 years ago, i have to say i’m glad these little guys weren’t there then…or i’d have had a much harder time leaving the place (freakshow that it is!)

102 SaintStryfe 03.14.09 at 8:28 pm

Snownose! It’s a snownose!

103 Lucas around the World 03.14.09 at 10:21 pm

There’s definitely a children’s book in there somewhere!

104 Cordelia 03.15.09 at 8:33 am

So precious!

I thought of “Stand By Me” too, but this is better! It definitely needs to be turned into a children’s book!

Mooseb, I’m so sorry for what you’re going through. My thoughts are with you.

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