When I was a cub scout leader, we made a rule. The rule was made after a few long, rambling, directionless campfire stories.
The rule saved our sanities.
The rule was this:
“When you say, “And Then…”, the story is over.”
It was in important rule, as it taught the boys not to volunteer to tell a story they didn’t have. The rule was created after a story much like this one:
“There was this guy. And he was walking down a dark road. He was next to a graveyard. …And then, a dragon rose up out of the graveyard, and then… the guy fought the dragon, and then… there was a huge fire, and then… everything in the world caught fire and everyone died. And then…uh… there were these people…”
It wasn’t the first story of its kind. But the ‘And Then’ rule was hailed as a life-saving stroke of genius, not only because kids thought up the ends of the stories before they started trying to tell them, but it was HILARIOUS listening to young storytellers working very very hard NOT to say, “And Then…”
Brevity, and editing on the fly. Maybe Clem Twang can learn from this? 😉
Other than where is the smoke going, unless the scouts opened the skylight. In which case that’s going to need cleaning, and probably will warp the plastic of the skylight…
At least Bob’s being well tended.
yeah that tv “action news report” will be the butt end of jokes or unbelievable stories for years if you ask me.
although he would need way more than that. they could turn him into one of those youtube “music’ videos at this point and probably have a lot of success.
A campfire inside the store. When do the fire sprinklers turn on, again?
There was this cartoonist, who was sitting at his Wacom tablet, trying to think up a new joke to use in his comic strip. And then…
I have doubts about the ‘and then’ ban saving his sanity. In fact, the scout’s story is very like the way Greg produces comics to this day. It is OUR sanity currently in danger.
The rambling story problem reminds me of how the Axe Cop series got started!
That is a gorgeous bit of collaboration. If nobody else knows… a fellow’s mom remarried and had another kid, and his five year old brother thinks up the plot and the 29 year old older brother draws it. My favorite is the Trex with the machine gun arms that the hero Axe-cop rides… There is no plot continuity but it’s so much fun!
poor Bob…traumatized.
Purple-y orange…Clemson colors?
Hey- your Patreon stuff was returned- the stickers all over it attest to an arduous trip. Is there a particular address issue I should know about? Email me and let me know where to send your Goodies.
surprised clemens there did not try and take over telling the story or told the scouts now now young ones you are telling the thing wrong let the expert tell it.
This is a brillianr rule. I am going to have to use the “and then” rule with my scouts. They get pretty long winded.
There’s an old song…
(female singers, two or three) “And then? And then?”
(male singer) “Along came Jones. Long Tall Jones. Smooth walking, Smooth talking Jones. Along came long lean lanky Jones.”
That was the refrain. I remember a lady being tied up on tracks and more things that happened during the song… (there I let it out, so maybe that will quit plaguing me!!!!!) Anyone else ever heard it? It was on a 45 single I heard as a wee thing.
It is a classic, written by music legends Lieber and Stoller.
The Coasters performed it first, and Ray Stevens also had a hit with it.
I found The Coasters version, as well as the Ray Stevens version, on YouTube. There are several other covers of the same song.
And then along came Jones, tall thin Jones, etc. 😉
It was done by the Coasters. I know it by heart, had it on a goofy songs collection LP years ago.
No one going comment on the scout roasting pop tarts over the fire? Or is that a chocolate macadamia nuts and marshmallow Clif bar?
Was wondering about that myself. Looks like a still-wrapped Clif bar to me.
While Bob has long struck me as nearly unfazeable, it seems that the Hubrisphere has finally gotten to him, thanks to the combined (if unintentional) efforts of “sack-head” and “rifle-lady” (re the latter, it struck me the other day that Kalashnikova would be a most fitting name for her).
BTW, where have Hubris et al gone to?