The Stand - Steal All The Things!

[Tyrotoxic]

As I picked up this lovely book and began to read it, many thoughts were racing through my head. I loved it, it was a great read, but... am I the only person who sat back and thought about every thing I would totally take if there was no one left to uphold the law?

When ever I re-read this story, I am always drifting off every fifty or so pages to think of the places that I would walk in to and what articles I would take. Okay, so I have a few selfish fantasies.
But please tell me, I'm not the only one.

Any of you ever had that feeling while reading?

[GNTLGNT]

Yeah, I thought about it-but money? Whaddya gonna spend it on? Electronics-no juice for the moment, and batteries?-maybe...the only thing I really would enjoy taking would be weaponry and vehicles like cars, Jeeps and motorcycles-as long as I could somehow pump the gas...

[prufrock21]

Reading it brought to mind the Road Warrior character in Mad Max. Imagine having to live forever on the defensive. Being a lone wolf, a nomad. (Which reminds me: Mel Gibson today looks nothing like he did during his Mad Max years. I know it's been thirty years, but somehow you would expect at least a superficial resemblance.)

[Tinahorve]

Take the candy . . . no, take the books . . . no, take the jewels . . . aahhhh, I can't carry it all.

[CarrieJo]

I kept thinking that it would be fun to go and live in a Meijer store (or Super Wal-Mart for those outside the Mid-West).

[Pucker]

It's an interesting perspective, Tyro, and I think you're probably more right than you know. Remember, the first thing Harold does is start tooling around in a Cadillac (and later, going around strapped like a post-apocalyptic warrior). I think the initial level of shock would probably leave most people stuck in their entrenched modes of thinking. Giant is right when he says "What are you going to do with all that money?" But I think it would take folks a little while to figure all that out. That's part of the joke, I think. Everything is just lying around for the taking . . . except for the part about where the value of things has changed. At heart, I don't really think very many of us are survivalists, and trial-and-error is not the best way to learn certain skills. My guess would be that, initially, the temptation would be very great to have all those things you never thought you could . . . but soon enough -- a lot sooner than many people think, unless I miss my guess -- the most valuable thing on earth would be somebody to talk to . . .

Preferably somebody who wasn't pointing a gun at you.

:eyebrow:

[Jax]

I would have taken guns and ammo, and then prayed to God that I met up with someone so I didn't go completely banana sandwich nuts.

[fljoe0]

I would take a great big generator and a tanker truck full of gasoline.

[JohnDalglish]

Hi,

And lots of astin.

And antibiotics.

And medical supplies in general.

Long days and pleasant nights

[fljoe0]

Hi,

And lots of astin.

And antibiotics.

And medical supplies in general.

Long days and pleasant nights

Don't forgot to take cans of tooter fish - that lasts a long time

[CarrieJo]

Take the candy . . . no, take the books . . . no, take the jewels . . . aahhhh, I can't carry it all.

Hah! I remember thinking that it would be a perfect time to get a lot of reading done. Just find a wagon and load it with paperbacks.

[Elemeno P]

I would make my way to Augusta Georgia and play lots and lots of GOLF (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusta_National_Golf_Club).

[CorbinKale]

As I picked up this lovely book and began to read it, many thoughts were racing through my head. I loved it, it was a great read, but... am I the only person who sat back and thought about every thing I would totally take if there was no one left to uphold the law?

When ever I re-read this story, I am always drifting off every fifty or so pages to think of the places that I would walk in to and what articles I would take. Okay, so I have a few selfish fantasies.
But please tell me, I'm not the only one.

Any of you ever had that feeling while reading?

LOL. This post reminded me of that old Steven Wright joke--

"You can't have everything... where would you put it?"

[JohnDalglish]

LOL. This post reminded me of that old Steven Wright joke--

"You can't have everything... where would you put it?"

Hi,

Umm.

Everywhere?

Long days and pleasant nights

[omm poppa mow mow]

I recall thinking that...wuuu wuuu, as I watched Charleston Heston, The Omega Man...the movie about the short story...(the recent remake cast Will Smith and the title was...) Shoot me...I'm sorry. Matheson! Richard Matheson...I can't think of the name of the story and the Smith movie was called....escapes me....

anyway, i recall thinking that...what would I do? if I was the last person...the omega man, as the Heston/Smith characters were....honestly, too involved in the story The Stand to consider it much...turning pages....although the bit with the Fritos probably would be my reality.

In the movie, Heston is out shopping as I recall and a mannikin moves or something. He had this collection of movies...and he was watching Woodstock...which is like today is like the 40th-some anniversary of Woodstock. There was a thing at Strawberry Point, Iowa, that rivaled Woodstock, or was bigger, according to Joe....but to Joe, UM was the Big Cheese....and after cheering himself hoarse at Carver-Hawkeye, who knows? Right?

I think at the time I thought, yeah, I'd have a collection of records, or maybe it was 8-tracks at the time...onward and upward.

[doowopgirl]

Of course, the first time I read The Stand thought of all that stuff, just for the taking. A lot people in the book do just that. But Rita says to Larry before they leave New York, they're all just rocks now, aren't they?

[cat in a bag]

I read The Stand again this summer, and the thing I thought I would make sure to round up was my thyroid medicine that I take every day!

[PatInTheHat]

Gorilla suits & banana costumes, oh, and rubber chickens, joy buzzers, itchy powder, disappearing ink, whoopy cushions.................
I could then corner the practical joke market and become emperor of the universe:wink2:..hey now. it could happen, so don't go all laughin' at me:oo:..uhhh, okay yeah, I do see your point, so maybe just a little gigglin' be alright:rolleyes:.

[GNTLGNT]

Gorilla suits & banana costumes, oh, and rubber chickens, joy buzzers, itchy powder, disappearing ink, whoopy cushions.................
I could then corner the practical joke market and become emperor of the universe:wink2:..hey now. it could happen, so don't go all laughin' at me:oo:..uhhh, okay yeah, I do see your point, so maybe just a little gigglin' be alright:rolleyes:.

Somehow the image of you sqaurin' off with The Walkin' Dude while wearing a gorilla suit(with appropriate cheesehead hat of course)made me snort H2O out me snout...:rofl:

[Jax]

the image of you sqaurin' off with The Walkin' Dude while wearing a gorilla suit(with appropriate cheesehead hat of course)

:rofl: That is really funny :rofl:

[PatInTheHat]

Somehow the image of you sqaurin' off with The Walkin' Dude while wearing a gorilla suit(with appropriate cheesehead hat of course)made me snort H2O out me snout...:rofl:

:eek2:
Well likeyaaaah, that dude's banana all the way, as one would need to be both slippery and deeelicious & nutritious with ones toasted oats :oo:...well after all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially if one is to save mankind's future, nay, very soul, before lunch:y:!

[Br00ksInTexas]

It's like a contingency plan for the zombie Apocalypse.I think to add to that, it should really be a dog for many reasons. One trust.. as long as you feed it, it will be loyal. 2. companionship... I talk to my dog 3. protection. 4. dogs can carry stuff (if needed).. and I think we all saw how Stu benefited from Kojak (that was his name right?, I haven't read the book in many years) because they are good hunters.

[GNTLGNT]

:eek2:
Well likeyaaaah, that dude's banana all the way, as one would need to be both slippery and deeelicious & nutritious with ones toasted oats :oo:...well after all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially if one is to save mankind's future, nay, very soul, before lunch:y:!

And a big old infusion of Maypo from the "White" cereal company would do a (do-gooder) body good!

[Doc Wilson]

It was the 70s, so naturally my first thought was how to find the choicest stashes of weed.

[friend of Oye]

My first break-in would be at REI,load up on all the gear I would need to travel light.

[Ruby 87]

I would take guns & ammo.:biggrin2:

[xkittyx]

Oh yea! I think about it all the time. First off, I'd pick where I want to live, find me a nice house with a nice yard, preferably one in a temperate area that doesn't get bad winters that's off the grid and already set up to run off of solar power so I could still have me some creature comforts. Then I'd go to a Gander Mtn. type store and load up on guns, ammo, bows, arrows, knives, etc. And some fishing stuff too, as well as any other supplies that might come in handy. Then I'd snag me a real nice four-wheeler with a tow-behind trailer to haul my goods. I'd pick a four-wheeler because, like Larry, I'd be afraid I'd kill myself on a motorcycle. I'd have to make sure to take extra parts for it, spark-plugs and what not. Also I'd go to a Lowe's or other home supply place and make sure I've got a good tool kit, and I'd also load up on gardening supplies, tools and seeds and stuff. Then once the necessities are handled, I'd head off to load up on canned goods and non-perishables, oh and loads of t.p. too, since they won't be manufacturing anymore, lol, I'd hate to run out. Then, shopping time. I'd go stock up on all the clothes I could find that would fit me, as I haven't the slightest idea how to sew or make my own. This particular task wouldn't be super-easy as even now it's hard to find clothes I like that fit since I'm not a skinny person. Then, the best part. I'd load up on books. All the books on my wishlist (which at the moment numbers around 300 and some) plus all the books on my to-ponder-sounds-interesting list (again, around 3-400 books on that list). Would take a few trips, but I'd be happy. I'd furnish my house nicely, would probably have to take a box-truck for some of this stuff. I'd probably find myself taking some pretty jewelry (hey, I've never had real jewelry before, only cheap stuff) just for fun. I'd of course have to make sure to stock up on medical supplies, medicine, etc. Even though I rarely get sick, it'd be my luck something would happen when I'm all alone. I agree I'd like to have a dog, but as so many of them were killed off by the flu, it'd be hard to find. Oh, I'd probably break into a cop station or military place too to get me body-armor. I'm not gonna go around killing anyone, but I certainly don't want some of those bad people coming to kill me! A little protection would be good. Other little things to snag would be simple stuff, candles, lanterns, batteries... cases and cases and jugs of bottled water... Yea, I'm ready :cool2: