# Creep Me Out With Your Closing Line.... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 14, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850 "2005-05-14T18:54:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/101 "2005-05-16T20:38:55Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Above the din of a cacophonous society, the lone voice of a beaten and dying little girl cries out to an angry God, “Where is my mother?” _Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm_ ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/102 "2005-05-16T20:51:28Z")
Dothan’s is A Rose for Emily, by Faulkner. Sorry no time to quote! ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/103 "2005-05-16T21:28:57Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > _Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/104 "2005-05-16T22:22:29Z")
Another easy one: “I was cured, all right.” And yes, I know it’s not the last line of the _book_. ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/105 "2005-05-16T22:25:30Z")
> [@Sauron](#): > > I can’t remember the name of this story, or its author, but I can recall large portions of it word-for-word. The closing line is: “‘Solely,’ he said, ‘in order to work up an appetite.’” > > In the context of the story, it’s pretty off-putting. “The Two Bottles of Relish”, by Lord Dunsany. I love that story. How about this one: > [@](#): > > The five beautifully clean human skeletons which George unearthed in the process were still awaiting identification when the War ended. ---
**Author:** ![Mapache](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58956e/32.png) [@Mapache](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mapache)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/106 "2005-05-16T22:47:25Z")
> [@Dung Beetle](#): > > Another easy one: > > “I was cured, all right.” > > And yes, I know it’s not the last line of the _book_. A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/107 "2005-05-16T22:49:09Z")
> [@Sarah Woodruff](#): > > “‘They found’, said the Bishop of Kilmore, 'below it a rounded hollow place in the earth, wherein there were two or three bodies of these creatures that had plainly been smothered by the smoke; and, what is to me more curious, at the side of this den, against the wall, was crouching the anatomy or skeleton of a human being, with the skin dried upon the bones, having some remains of black hair, which was pronounced by those that examined it to be undoubtedly the body of a woman, and clearly dead for a period of fifty years.” “The Ash Tree” by M. R. James. I have that in an old Hitchcock anthology which also includes “The Cocoon” by John B. L. Goodwin, one of the creepiest things I’ve ever read in my life. > [@Dung Beetle](#): > > “I was cured, all right.” The _real_ last line: “And all that cal.” ---
**Author:** ![IUchem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/aca169/32.png) [@IUchem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IUchem)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/108 "2005-05-17T02:07:27Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > If we’re not limiting ourselves to fiction, then I’ll toss out: > > “The future of the United States remains in the hands of a dishonest man.” In general, I am not one to discuss religion or politics since people tend to hold deep, and sometimes illogical, beliefs and opinions in regards to both; however, I think this post directed at a present day leader ignores the last 5000 years or so of semi-recorded history. (Let’s not forget the winning side gets to write the history!) To paraphrase Mark Twain: statistics and politicians are the two biggest liars. Not to mention, we need to know what the definition of the word “is” (and its past, present, future, and plural forms) is… Best regards, IUchem PS I regret this response to “rjung” is off the post’s topic; however, I feel this type of discussion needs some levity outside of the “BBQ Pit.” ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/109 "2005-05-17T02:16:51Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > If we’re not limiting ourselves to fiction, then I’ll toss out: > > “The future of the United States remains in the hands of a dishonest man.” Simulposted from the Pit thread: _Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72_ - Hunter S. Thompson (in re Tricky Dick)? ---
**Author:** ![Trillionaire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@Trillionaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trillionaire)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/110 "2005-05-17T05:58:06Z")
> [@faldureon](#): > > This is from some sci-fi story where they invent a book-writing computer that puts human authors out of business, yet they still continue writing. Its name eludes me at the moment. the author is Roald Dahl, and the story’s name eludes me too, although it’s something like"the Amazing Story-Writing Machine." ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/111 "2005-05-17T05:59:05Z")
Sorry, nope. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/112 "2005-05-17T07:14:44Z")
I just finished _Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail_ tonight. Don’t recall the last sentence, but yeah, that wasn’t it. ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/113 "2005-05-17T08:03:56Z")
> [@Trillionaire](#): > > the author is Roald Dahl, and the story’s name eludes me too, although it’s something like"the Amazing Story-Writing Machine." It’s [The Great Automatic Grammatizator](http://www.roalddahlfans.com/shortstories/greata.php). ---
**Author:** ![Sarah\_Woodruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sarah\_Woodruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarah_Woodruff)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/114 "2005-05-17T09:40:00Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > “The Ash Tree” by M. R. James. I have that in an old Hitchcock anthology which also includes “The Cocoon” by John B. L. Goodwin, one of the creepiest things I’ve ever read in my life. And, considering I’m arachniphobic, that James story _is_ the creepiest thing I’ve so far read. (The “creatures” are horrible demonic spider-like familiars of the witch). Although there was a _really_ strange horror story I read when I was a kid that I didn’t really understand at the time, but from what I remember of it, I think it was about cannibalism. It was called _By the River, Fontainbleu._ Anyone else heard of it? ---
**Author:** ![Sarah\_Woodruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sarah\_Woodruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarah_Woodruff)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/115 "2005-05-17T09:46:32Z")
Here’s a really obscure one which has stuck in my mind: “And my body fell over.” A few clues: Author’s a well-known 20th century American writer, whose first novel was about war. It’s a _very_ short story, and it’s about WWI. Some call it a ghost story. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/116 "2005-05-17T11:33:42Z")
I presume we’re going from memory here, without looking anything up? If so, here’s an easy one: > [@](#): > > The long night had come again. Extra points for nailing this one, from the same very well-known collection: > [@](#): > > Anyone. Someone. Anyone. Doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a great closer for the short story it’s attached to. And a famous novel (that I read some 33 years ago, so my quote isn’t exact): > [@](#): > > When an attempt was made to separate the two skeletons, they crumbled and fell into dust. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/117 "2005-05-17T13:03:47Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > When an attempt was made to separate the two skeletons, they crumbled and fell into dust. _The Hunchback of Notre Dame_? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/118 "2005-05-17T13:27:08Z")
Sounded like Wuthering Heights to me, but I don’t think that’s the _last_ line… ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/119 "2005-05-17T13:33:56Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > The long night had come again. “Nightfall” - Isaac Asimov Oddly enough, though I assume it’s also Asimov, the second one doesn’t ring any bells. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850/120 "2005-05-17T14:27:49Z")
I had to look up the last line to see if it was as creepy as I remembered, and yes, it is: > [@](#): > > Now why should that man have fainted? But he did, and right across my path by the wall, so that I had to creep over him every time! Daniel [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creep-me-out-with-your-closing-line/303850.md?page=7)