Burning Question

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alanah

Member
May 16, 2015
9
43
29
New Hampshire
Hello fellow fans!I am working on my way to reading all of Kings novels, and I have just finished Needful Things. Spoiler to follow if you've never read Needful Things don't read on! (and go get the book because it's great)

I thought I could recognize all of the other stories mentioned in Needful Things, but there is one reference that I couldn't quite place or grasp. And I literally made this entire account in search of an answer to this question. So in chapter 18 when Polly is sent by Gaunt to the old Camber farm, where Cujo took place, to play a 'prank' on Ace, there are obviously several references to Cujo in this scene, but there was a small detail that is never explained and I can't seem to place it in any other king story. In the first can she digs up there are only a few worthless stamps but in the second she finds more stamps and "several fading photographs of a woman having sexual intercourse with a collie dog" which she has the direction to burn and promptly does, and is quickly on her way when she realizes she is hearing the ghostly growl of a dog and knowing the history of the place she quickly leaves. The pictures are never explained or elaborated on or given any type of origin and it had been driving me insane! It must come from some other King book or story, but I can't find it anywhere! I've read The Dead Zone and Cujo, which are the books directly related to Needful Things by the town they all take place in (Castle Rock) and I am pretty positive those pictures don't belong to either of those stories. Can anyone please please please explain the origin of the disturbing pictures, or point me in the direction of the story they belong to?? It's been haunting my mind and I am trying to move on to read The Tommyknockers, but I wont really feel like Needful Things is complete until I get an answer! Someone please help!
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
53,634
236,697
The High Seas
Hello fellow fans!I am working on my way to reading all of Kings novels, and I have just finished Needful Things. Spoiler to follow if you've never read Needful Things don't read on! (and go get the book because it's great)

I thought I could recognize all of the other stories mentioned in Needful Things, but there is one reference that I couldn't quite place or grasp. And I literally made this entire account in search of an answer to this question. So in chapter 18 when Polly is sent by Gaunt to the old Camber farm, where Cujo took place, to play a 'prank' on Ace, there are obviously several references to Cujo in this scene, but there was a small detail that is never explained and I can't seem to place it in any other king story. In the first can she digs up there are only a few worthless stamps but in the second she finds more stamps and "several fading photographs of a woman having sexual intercourse with a collie dog" which she has the direction to burn and promptly does, and is quickly on her way when she realizes she is hearing the ghostly growl of a dog and knowing the history of the place she quickly leaves. The pictures are never explained or elaborated on or given any type of origin and it had been driving me insane! It must come from some other King book or story, but I can't find it anywhere! I've read The Dead Zone and Cujo, which are the books directly related to Needful Things by the town they all take place in (Castle Rock) and I am pretty positive those pictures don't belong to either of those stories. Can anyone please please please explain the origin of the disturbing pictures, or point me in the direction of the story they belong to?? It's been haunting my mind and I am trying to move on to read The Tommyknockers, but I wont really feel like Needful Things is complete until I get an answer! Someone please help!

Welcome! My first thought was The Shining. The decadence of the parties that happened there.
 

not_nadine

Comfortably Roont
Nov 19, 2011
29,655
139,785
Behind you
I had forgotten about that, but I thought the same thing while I was reading it.

th


Welcome to the boards!
 

alanah

Member
May 16, 2015
9
43
29
New Hampshire
Welcome! My first thought was The Shining. The decadence of the parties that happened there.

Ahhh! That's a good theory!! The only question I'm left with there would be, and correct me if i'm wrong, doesn't The Shining take place in Colorado? How would the pictures become buried in an old Crisco can in the yard of a farm all the way in Castle Rock Maine? It certainly seams plausible in the world of Stephen King, and if so, I want to hear that story!!
 

alanah

Member
May 16, 2015
9
43
29
New Hampshire
Could have just been something disturbing to see--no reference to any particular book.
I'm starting to think this the most likely. It just seemed like everything else in the book had some connection to either another part of the book or a different story, It felt like a big deal and when polly burns the pictures she feels an unearthly breeze and hears a growl which causes her to leave. It just feels like there should be so much more behind it when the rest of the small stories in Needful Things all have some sort of connection!
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Hello fellow fans!I am working on my way to reading all of Kings novels, and I have just finished Needful Things. Spoiler to follow if you've never read Needful Things don't read on! (and go get the book because it's great)

I thought I could recognize all of the other stories mentioned in Needful Things, but there is one reference that I couldn't quite place or grasp. And I literally made this entire account in search of an answer to this question. So in chapter 18 when Polly is sent by Gaunt to the old Camber farm, where Cujo took place, to play a 'prank' on Ace, there are obviously several references to Cujo in this scene, but there was a small detail that is never explained and I can't seem to place it in any other king story. In the first can she digs up there are only a few worthless stamps but in the second she finds more stamps and "several fading photographs of a woman having sexual intercourse with a collie dog" which she has the direction to burn and promptly does, and is quickly on her way when she realizes she is hearing the ghostly growl of a dog and knowing the history of the place she quickly leaves. The pictures are never explained or elaborated on or given any type of origin and it had been driving me insane! It must come from some other King book or story, but I can't find it anywhere! I've read The Dead Zone and Cujo, which are the books directly related to Needful Things by the town they all take place in (Castle Rock) and I am pretty positive those pictures don't belong to either of those stories. Can anyone please please please explain the origin of the disturbing pictures, or point me in the direction of the story they belong to?? It's been haunting my mind and I am trying to move on to read The Tommyknockers, but I wont really feel like Needful Things is complete until I get an answer! Someone please help!
Welcome alanah

Hang around and post some more - it's a great place! :D:):encouragement:

crow with star welcome.jpg
 

alanah

Member
May 16, 2015
9
43
29
New Hampshire
Could it be The Sun Dog? It is a Castle Rock story with Pop Merrill, I think Ace makes an appearance too, if I remember right.

Been a while since I've read it though, so I could be wrong.
ooooooo!!!! You might be my hero!! I haven't read that one yet, but I think that would make the most sense, because the cans she finds the pictures in are supposedly buried by Ace's father himself (aka Pop Merrill) !! I'll have to read the story now, it must be connected to that! The dog, the camera, and Pop Merrill being a main character? Looks like it all adds up! Do you by any chance remember what breed the dog was supposed to be? I think you've solved it! Thank you thank you thank you!!
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
ooooooo!!!! You might be my hero!! I haven't read that one yet, but I think that would make the most sense, because the cans she finds the pictures in are supposedly buried by Ace's father himself (aka Pop Merrill) !! I'll have to read the story now, it must be connected to that! The dog, the camera, and Pop Merrill being a main character? Looks like it all adds up! Do you by any chance remember what breed the dog was supposed to be? I think you've solved it! Thank you thank you thank you!!
In the Sun Dog it is a just a big black dog that is quite menacing and approaching closer with each picture taken.

(No collies or women involved in that one - sorry!)
See prufrock21 's post above.