Main Piece:

“Okay so this girl was left home alone and for comfort she would put her hand down by the side of her bed and so her dog could lick her hand so she could feel safe. Um, then after the licking would happen she would been to fall asleep and she would hear a “thump, thump, drag”. She didn’t know what it was. One night after the dog was licking her hand, she decided to go downstair to get a class of water before the thump, thump, drag happened. And she saw her dog sitting on the couch- so she was very confused. Okay so then as she was making her way back upstairs she saw a man with no legs dragging himself across the floor. Usually when hearing the story, people will imitate the sound of the thumping on the floor and whisper jag.

Background:

The informant is a 19- year-old female who was born and continues to live in Los Angeles, CA. She first heard this story at Gold Arrow Camp around the Sierra National Forrest. The informant was in sixth grade and was told this story by another camper while the group was telling a myriad of scary stories.

Context:

The informant is a close friend who happened to be over at my apartment and who I asked if she knew any bits of folklore or knowledge.

My Thoughts:

This is another typical American scary story that gets told around the country with subtle differences depending on the region. I think that it has a main message to always check the source, be skeptical and investigate strange things. All of these qualities I think are very reflective of American values and this story works as a warning tale to never be too trusting. The story can be heard with different twists, some of which make it less disturbing and some that make it even more disturbing.