Nothing can get a person lost and confused more readily than a heavy fog combined with darkness. I believe most of us know that from experience, especially while driving at night in a thick fog.

Today's story is true and has been told and laughed about for years. But the first names I'm using are not their real names.

Jim and his wife lived in an isolated section of Breathitt County across the North Fork River from the main highway leading to Jackson. Jim's sister and her husband, John, were staying all night with them. Jim and John had planned a trip to Jackson the next morning.

Early the next morning, Jim and John left for town before daylight. The fog was so thick that you could "slice it with a knife." The lone flashlight they had just wouldn't penetrate the soupy stuff more than two feet, so they had a little trouble finding the boat mooring. But finally they did and started to paddle to the other side. But the fog was so thick and the darkness so complete that neither of the men could see his nose. Anyway, after considerable paddling, the boat finally bumped the river bank.

The men tied the boat to a willow bush. Then they blundered away from the river trying to find the path that led to the main road. After considerable stumbling and feeling around, they finally did find what appeared to be some kind of a path. But they were so disoriented they didn't know which direction to travel it. Deciding on a way, the men eased along, hoping they had made the right decision.

Soon the men stumbled upon a house which they didn't know existed on that side of the river. Apparently the people living in the house were up, because the lights were on. So one of the men decided to end their confusion by finding out who lived there.

Jim stepped upon the porch and knocked on the door. A woman opened the door.

"Who lives here?" Jim wanted to know.

"Why, you do, you old fool!" the woman replied.

Jim's eyes opened wide and he was speechless. The woman was his wife and the house was his own!