I'm looking for a short sci-fi/horror story titled "Hello Down There"...

Cafe Society
1

…At least I think that was the title.

I remember reading it around 1990-1991 in a thick book as part of a compilation of horror/sci-fi stories. It told the story of a farmer and his wife who discover intelligent, humanoid creatures living underground on their land. They communicated with these creatures via written notes, and gift exchanges which were lowered and retrieved in a bucket attached to a rope. As a show of benevolence the wife sends down fried chicken, and the husband sends flashlights figuring they need them down there in the darkness. In return the creatures send back precious gems and/or metals.

I won’t spoil it for anyone unfamiliar with the story, but since it is a horror story, there’s isn’t a happy ending.

Has anyone else read this story, and know the proper title?
More importantly, does anyone know the title of the compilation book it was a part of? (I received it as a member of either the “Sci-Fi Book Club”, or the “Horror Book Club”, I think.) I’d like to try and buy it via Amazon if I can. If it helps there was also a short story about a couple who aborted a pregnancy and were haunted by the aborted fetus; and I think there was a version of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Masque Of The Red Death”.

Thank you all for any help.

-Slaughter

2

I remember a movie from the 60s called “Hello Down There”, a comedy about undersea exploration.

3

Story 1 sounds amazingly (heh!) like the basis for the “Amazing Stories” episode entitled Thanksgiving (1986).

4

The story is “Hey You Down There,” by Harold Rolseth.

The anthology might be Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Stories to Be Read With the Lights On.

5

“Hello Down There” (1969) - A musical comedy film starring Tony Randall and Janet Leigh.
That’s the one that keeps coming up in my searches, but to my knowledge the story I’m referring to was never made into a feature-length film, though it may have been made into an episode for one of the horror/sci-fi anthology series that spanned the 80’s or 90’s.

-Slaughter

6

WOW! Thanks to both “pinkfreud” and “Earl Snake-Hips Tucker”!
It is “Hey, You Down There” (a link to a PDF version of the story) and it was featured as an episode of Amazing Stories re-titled “Thanksgiving” in 1986. :slight_smile:

Thanks again!

-Slaughter

7

After reading the story in the PDF that you posted, I’d say it had a happy ending indeed. :smiley:

8

I agree, although it wasn’t quite what I thought it would be.

I was hoping she’s kick his ass down the hole.

Good story, thanks!

9

I’ve been thinking about posting a query asking if anyone remembered this very story. Regardless of some of the positive aspects, I found it pretty chilling. (the version I read didn’t have the cartoonish illustrations.)

10

'S funny… The very first time the story said Dora couldn’t put her finger on what Calvin reminded her of, I thought ‘a turkey’. Was glad that got a payoff in the end.