Kendall Morse has written a new book of Maine humor called “Father Fell Down the Well.” He has been storytelling in Maine since the early 1970s.
It’s been more challenging over the last 15 years, since cancer robbed him of his vocal cords.
Still, Irwin Gratz sat down recently with Morse in our Portland studio. Here’s a transcript of their talk:
Morse: “Maine humor — you have to have more than a teaspoonful of brains to understand it. The essence of Maine humor is that which is not said. We don’t use the punchline. It’s more of a nudge, you know. ‘Get it?’“ Gratz: “It’s humor almost that’s really created inside the recipient’s head, more than yours.”Morse: “Exactly. You got it.” Gratz: “So, tell us about this collection of stories.” Morse: “Many of ‘em are old stories. Some are my own observations which is old enough, I guess. So, it’s a combination, probably a sequel to the first one, which is called ‘Stories Told in the Kitchen.’“ Gratz: “Do you have a favorite?” Morse: “Yes. I don’t know if it would be good for the radio…” Gratz: “Well, try us, you never know.” Morse: “I never use dirty jokes or four-letter words. Sometimes I skate a little close to the edge of propriety. And there again, the imagination is what makes it funny. Or not.” Gratz: “So, what is that favorite story?” Morse: “Well, back home in East Machias, there were two old maids and they lived on the family farm. Neither one had married at that time. They stayed there, as tradition says, to take care of the old folks. And they never got around to mating, either, because their mother had told them her version of the facts of life. They wanted nothin’ to do with males. They were so paranoid they wouldn’t even let the mailman or the milkman come up on the porch. They had to leave it off by the mailbox. And they had a female cat for a house pet. They wouldn’t even let that cat out. For the same reason. That went on for years. Finally, Emma somehow wound up gettin’ married. She went away on her honeymoon. Two days later, Effy got a postcard from here. And all it said on it was ‘let the cat out.’“
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVGZw-X289s
