Shaggy Dog stories have been around since ancient Greece, and most likely longer. Traditionally, a shaggy dog story involves a long, often detailed narrative ending in an unexpected, often irrational, and supposedly humorous final sentence. One form of the genre features a story which may seem serious and sincere, completely ridiculous or somewhere between. The punch line usually mishandles a well-known quote, adage, title, or song lyric so that there is some sort of pun or play on words that makes no real sense but still relates to the story. For example, most of us have sung about "Little Bunny Foofoo hoppin' through the forest, scoopin' up the field mice an' boppin' 'em on the head." The Blue Fairy comes down, admonishes Bunny's behavior and gives him three chances to mend his ways upon pain of being turned into a goon. Of course, over the next three days, Bunny ignores the Blue Fairy, squanders his chances, and is changed into a goon. The moral of the story? "Hare today, goon tomorrow".
Roy Rogers and his wife, Dale Evans, sang their way into the hearts of America. Dale Evens, believing that Roy needed a theme song, wrote "Happy Trails to You", about forty minutes before they went live on their radio show. They always ended programs by singing it. Geezers like myself remember them riding along on Trigger and Buttermilk singing at the end of the Roy Rogers TV show. For more of Roy, check out music by Sons of the Pioneers.
If you have an interest in the end of the story, you will have to make your way to ground zero, where you will find the punch line in the cache.
The cache is not on church property. Park at your discretion. Sundays are probably not good days to attempt the find.
Roy Rogers, being a cowboy, nearly always wore boots. But one day, he and Dale were obliged to attend a function that required more formal attire. Roy, therefore, purchased a pair of shiny black wingtips (an enduring style of men's footwear even today). Rain poured on the day of the event. Mud was inevitable and the wingtips were soon somewhat sodden. Rather than track mud into his house when he arrived home, Roy removed his shoes and left them on the porch to dry. When he returned the next morning to clean them, he found an aging tomcat gnawing and clawing the tasty leather into ruination. Having had trouble with this cat on other occasions, he gathered it up and left it with a rancher miles away on the other side of the mountain. Now we all know that cats have a strong homing instinct. One evening about a week later, Roy and Dale were rocking on their porch when the tom mounted the steps and meowed its return. Dale noticed it first. Not really believing what she saw, she queried, "________________________________".