This rambling story would once have been called a shaggy dog story,
taking one gradually from reality into fantasy.

Encounter

now Ernie were 'wake real early,
'e could hear bro' Verne's snores where he lay
so 'e thought 'e'd up and cook breakfast
make a great start to the day
he dragged on his jeans and his boots
then his shirt which he liked to hang loose
and went out the back for a pee
out in the old caboose
it was coming back that he noticed,
somethin' not right in the air
'praps it's the old caboose he thought
we'd best get some lime out there
he rustled up bacon and eggs
and toast and coffee real strong
and guessed that smell of the cooking
would bring bro' Verne right along
but there it was again
an odour that didn't belong
spoiling the bacon and eggs
thought Ernie, "Somethin' s wrong."
bro' Verne showed up as expected
but he had noticed it too
yer bacon and eggs there Ernie
how come they smell of poo
somat's not right said Ernie
and getting less right all the time
maybe we should dress the caboose
said Verne, with a little lime
so after breakfasts all done
and dishes stacked in the sink
Ernie gets some lime in a bucket
and goes to deal with the stink
but no sooner is he off the porch
than Verne shouts in great alarm
lookout Ernie there's a bear"
and just then Ernie felt a claw on his arm
'scuse me, said the bear',
removing it's paw
'but I'm in a kind of a fix.
I'm lost and what's more
can't find my way back
do you think you could help?'
Ernie was a mite surprised
and uttered a kind of a yelp
then started to talk
at ninety miles an hour
stepping back from the bear
cos' it's breath, it smelled a bit sour
the highways that way
and the town over there
but that wouldn't interest you
of course. You're a bear.
well the deep woods is that way
and through there's the lake
one of those is the best
way for a bear to take
"Thank you most kindly,"
said bruin courteously
and ambled away.
Ernie sat down suddenly.