Weeds (short story)
Encyclopedia
"Weeds" is a short story by Stephen King
. It was first published in Cavalier
magazine in May 1976.
named Jordy Verrill who thinks his newfound discovery of a meteorite will provide enough riches to pay off the remaining $200 of his bank loan, but he instead finds himself overcome by a rapidly spreading plant-like organism that arrives in the meteorite. He makes the mistake of taking a bath to relieve the itching caused by the grass, which waters it instead.
The story ends with Verrill, completely covered by the alien grass and barely resembling a human at this point, killing himself by shotgun, as the grass continues to grow across his property and beyond.
Some aspects of the story are loosely based on "The Colour Out of Space
," a short story by King's fellow New Englander and noted influence H.P. Lovecraft. Mostly the idea of a meteorite coming from space and infecting the surrounding environment.
The story was made into the second film in Creepshow
as "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill", a reference to the Bob Dylan
song "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
".
Stephen King himself plays the doomed protagonist in the film adaptation. In it, the location of Verrill's farm is changed to Maine. The story is interspersed humorously by Verrill daydreaming about trying to sell the meteor to an imagined "Department of Meteors" at the community college
and Jordy's decision not to seek medical attention as he fears a doctor would amputate his fingers. Throughout the film, Jordy is drinking Ripple and watches his old television, which is first showing a wrestling match featuring Bob Backlund
and Richard Bachman
, the winner and King's alter ego, at Madison Square Garden
, then is followed by A Star is Born
and an inspirational Christian message. (Radios and/or televisions playing in the background is a common theme found in the works of George Romero). As the film progresses, the viewers see that plant growth is affecting everything Jordy touches as well as all parts of his body hair save for his head, including a humorous off-camera yell "No, not there!"
.
As Jordy is drawing a bath he is visited by the ghost of his deceased father, who warns him "Jordy Verrill, you get in that tub you might as well sign your death warrant!" Jordy rationalizes "I'm a goner already, daddy." and indulges in one last pleasure by taking a bath to relieve his irritation, which by the next morning causes his entire body to become a plant man, which he ends by taking his own life
.
The end was given a cliffhanger ending: a radio forecaster predicts that long periods of rain and sunshine will soon follow, as Jordy's dirt farm along a 1950s style rural route is shown now entirely covered in plants, and is spreading rapidly, implying Earth may be terraformed into a green planet.
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
. It was first published in Cavalier
Cavalier (magazine)
Cavalier is an American magazine that was launched by Fawcett Publications in 1952 and has continued for decades, eventually evolving into a Playboy-style men's magazine...
magazine in May 1976.
Plot summary
"Weeds" is a darkly humorous story about a backwoods hick farmer in New HampshireNew Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
named Jordy Verrill who thinks his newfound discovery of a meteorite will provide enough riches to pay off the remaining $200 of his bank loan, but he instead finds himself overcome by a rapidly spreading plant-like organism that arrives in the meteorite. He makes the mistake of taking a bath to relieve the itching caused by the grass, which waters it instead.
The story ends with Verrill, completely covered by the alien grass and barely resembling a human at this point, killing himself by shotgun, as the grass continues to grow across his property and beyond.
Some aspects of the story are loosely based on "The Colour Out of Space
The Colour Out of Space
"The Colour Out of Space" is a short story written by American fantasy author H. P. Lovecraft in March 1927. In the tale, an unnamed narrator pieces together the story of an area known by the locals as the "blasted heath" in the wild hills west of Arkham, Massachusetts...
," a short story by King's fellow New Englander and noted influence H.P. Lovecraft. Mostly the idea of a meteorite coming from space and infecting the surrounding environment.
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
The story was made into the second film in Creepshow
Creepshow
Creepshow is a 1982 American horror anthology film directed by George A. Romero and written by Stephen King. The film's ensemble cast included Ted Danson, Leslie Nielsen, Hal Holbrook, E.G...
as "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill", a reference to the Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
song "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
"The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" is a topical song written by the American musician Bob Dylan. Recorded on October 23, 1963, the song was released on Dylan's 1964 album The Times They Are a-Changin and gives a generally factual account of the killing of 51-year-old barmaid Hattie Carroll by...
".
Stephen King himself plays the doomed protagonist in the film adaptation. In it, the location of Verrill's farm is changed to Maine. The story is interspersed humorously by Verrill daydreaming about trying to sell the meteor to an imagined "Department of Meteors" at the community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
and Jordy's decision not to seek medical attention as he fears a doctor would amputate his fingers. Throughout the film, Jordy is drinking Ripple and watches his old television, which is first showing a wrestling match featuring Bob Backlund
Bob Backlund
Robert Lee "Bob" Backlund is an American professional wrestler with an in ring career that spanned over 30 years. Over that time, he went on to become a two-time WWWF/WWF Champion...
and Richard Bachman
Richard Bachman
Richard Bachman is a pseudonym used by horror fiction author Stephen King.-Origin:At the beginning of Stephen King's career, the general view among publishers was such that an author was limited to a book every year, since publishing more would not be acceptable to the public...
, the winner and King's alter ego, at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, then is followed by A Star is Born
A Star Is Born
A Star Is Born may refer to:* A Star Is Born , starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March, directed by William A. Wellman* A Star Is Born , starring Judy Garland and James Mason, directed by George Cukor...
and an inspirational Christian message. (Radios and/or televisions playing in the background is a common theme found in the works of George Romero). As the film progresses, the viewers see that plant growth is affecting everything Jordy touches as well as all parts of his body hair save for his head, including a humorous off-camera yell "No, not there!"
Pubic hair
Pubic hair is hair in the frontal genital area, the crotch, and sometimes at the top of the inside of the legs; these areas form the pubic region....
.
As Jordy is drawing a bath he is visited by the ghost of his deceased father, who warns him "Jordy Verrill, you get in that tub you might as well sign your death warrant!" Jordy rationalizes "I'm a goner already, daddy." and indulges in one last pleasure by taking a bath to relieve his irritation, which by the next morning causes his entire body to become a plant man, which he ends by taking his own life
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.
The end was given a cliffhanger ending: a radio forecaster predicts that long periods of rain and sunshine will soon follow, as Jordy's dirt farm along a 1950s style rural route is shown now entirely covered in plants, and is spreading rapidly, implying Earth may be terraformed into a green planet.