--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a kid my favorite relative was…" description: "\"When I was a kid my favorite relative was Uncle Caveman. After school we'd all go play in his cave, and every once in a while he would eat one of us. I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f7/jack-handey-829_after-school_when-i-was-a-kid-my-favorite-relative-wa_2327864.jpg" --- # When I was a kid my favorite relative was Uncle Caveman… ![“When I was a kid my favorite relative was Uncle Caveman. After school we'd all go play in his cave, and every once in a while he would eat one of us. It wasn't until later that I found out that Uncle Caveman was a bear.” quote by Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f7/jack-handey-829_after-school_when-i-was-a-kid-my-favorite-relative-wa_2327864.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f7/jack-handey-829_after-school_when-i-was-a-kid-my-favorite-relative-wa_2327864.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f7/jack-handey-829_after-school_when-i-was-a-kid-my-favorite-relative-wa_2327864.jpg) > “When I was a kid my favorite relative was Uncle Caveman. After school we'd all go play in his cave, and every once in a while he would eat one of us. It wasn't until later that I found out that Uncle Caveman was a bear.” [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A surreal childhood memory where a beloved relative is revealed as a dangerous animal, highlighting the blend of innocence and hidden menace. **In simple terms:** A kid’s favorite uncle turned out to be a bear who sometimes ate them. Key Takeaway Beware that seemingly safe figures may hide threats. Themes childhood danger surrealism trust humor Mood playful dark reflective Type anecdotal humorous cautionary When to use this quote - family gatherings - camping trips - storytelling sessions - children’s play - imaginative games Key Concepts identity predation unexpected danger Questions to Reflect On - What trusted adult in your past seemed safe but later revealed hidden motives? - How does humor help process fear? A Different Perspective The humor may downplay real trauma of betrayal or loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [After school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/after-school/) [Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bear/) [Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bears/) [Caveman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caveman/) [Caveman Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caveman-bear-5588818/) [Caves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caves/) [Deep thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-thought/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [My favorite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-favorite/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Relative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relative/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Uncle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncle/) [Uncle Caveman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncle-caveman-2424785/) [Uncles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncles/) ## Related quotes > [I guess of all my uncles, I liked Uncle Caveman the best. We called him Uncle Caveman because he lived in a cave and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-guess-of-all-my-uncles-i-liked-uncle-caveman-the-best-we-called-him/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“We live in an illusion of safety while we hide in caves made ​​of glass looking for trees of concrete. Even our music resounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliano-alves/we-live-in-an-illusion-of-safety-while-we-hide-in-caves-made-of-glass/) [Juliano Alves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliano-alves/) > [I bet a fun thing would be to go way back in time to where there was going to be an eclipse and tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-bet-a-fun-thing-would-be-to-go-way-back-in-time-to-where-there-was/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“Everyone thinks that it was the big strong caveman who got the girl, and for the most part, that may have been true, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/everyone-thinks-that-it-was-the-big-strong-caveman-who-got-the-girl/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [To discover and know has always been a deep tendency of our nature. Can we not recognize it already in caveman?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/to-discover-and-know-has-always-been-a-deep-tendency-of-our-nature/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [My caveman. It was going to be Abe Lincoln, but, that didn't work out. XD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-timmerman/my-caveman-it-was-going-to-be-abe-lincoln-but-that-didn-t-work-out-xd/) [Christopher Timmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-timmerman/) > [The human failing I would most like to correct is aggression. It may have had survival advantage in caveman days, to get more food,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-human-failing-i-would-most-like-to-correct-is-aggression-it-may/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [“But I’m definitely pulling the alpha caveman card on your pretty little ass during our sexcapade.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-mchugh/but-i-m-definitely-pulling-the-alpha-caveman-card-on-your-pretty/) [Gail McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-mchugh/) > [“The lack of a clear set of values and beliefs, along with the weak culture that resulted, created the conditions for an every-man-for-himself environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/the-lack-of-a-clear-set-of-values-and-beliefs-along-with-the-weak/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [“I'll give you caveman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-keith/i-ll-give-you-caveman/) [Megan Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-keith/) > [My domineering lover made no apologies for his caveman tendencies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-day/my-domineering-lover-made-no-apologies-for-his-caveman-tendencies/) [Sylvia Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-day/) > [“Ugh. It's caveman romance. All that stuff we're not supposed to think is dreamy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-lofty/ugh-it-s-caveman-romance-all-that-stuff-we-re-not-supposed-to-think/) [Carrie Lofty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-lofty/) > [“I got out of the truck, half-hoping she would be too sleepy to walk. I wanted to carry her. She brought out the caveman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/i-got-out-of-the-truck-half-hoping-she-would-be-too-sleepy-to-walk-i/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [On the television planet, where men make up the tribe, the law of the caveman rules. So, for a woman coming from another world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-saralegui/on-the-television-planet-where-men-make-up-the-tribe-the-law-of-the/) [Cristina Saralegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-saralegui/) > [“Feeling like a caveman tonight? Or do you still insist you’re immune to such primitive impulses?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-kent/feeling-like-a-caveman-tonight-or-do-you-still-insist-you-re-immune/) [Claire Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-kent/) ## More by Jack Handey > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I think the best Thanksgiving we ever had was one where we didn't even have a turkey. Mom and Dad sat us kids down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-think-the-best-thanksgiving-we-ever-had-was-one-where-we-didn-t/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [At first I thought, if I were Superman, a perfect secret identity would be "Clark Kent, Dentist," because you could save money on tooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/at-first-i-thought-if-i-were-superman-a-perfect-secret-identity-would/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Sometimes I wonder if I'm patriotic enough. Yes, I want to kill people, but on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-i-wonder-if-i-m-patriotic-enough-yes-i-want-to-kill-people/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I don't understand people who say life is a mystery, because what is it they want to know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-don-t-understand-people-who-say-life-is-a-mystery-because-what-is/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [It's probably not a good idea to be chewing on a toothpick if you're talking to the president, because what if he tells a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/it-s-probably-not-a-good-idea-to-be-chewing-on-a-toothpick-if-you-re/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Probably to a shark, about the funniest thing there is is a wounded seal, trying to swim to shore, because WHERE DOES HE THINK…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/probably-to-a-shark-about-the-funniest-thing-there-is-is-a-wounded/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I wish I lived back in the Old West days, because I'd save up my money for about twenty years so I could buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-wish-i-lived-back-in-the-old-west-days-because-i-d-save-up-my-money/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Why do there have to be rules for everything? It's gotten to the point that rules dominate just about every aspect of our lives.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/why-do-there-have-to-be-rules-for-everything-it-s-gotten-to-the-point/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Most people don't realize that large pieces of coral, which have been painted brown and attached to the skull by common wood screws, can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/most-people-don-t-realize-that-large-pieces-of-coral-which-have-been/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Here's a suggestion for a new animal, if some new ones get created or evolve: something that stings you, then laughs at you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/here-s-a-suggestion-for-a-new-animal-if-some-new-ones-get-created-or/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [When you go ice-skating, try not to swing your arms too much, because that really annoys me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-you-go-ice-skating-try-not-to-swing-your-arms-too-much-because/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [When you go to a party at somebody's house, don't automatically assume that the drinks are free. Ask, and ask often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-you-go-to-a-party-at-somebody-s-house-don-t-automatically-assume/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [He was a cowboy, mister, and he loved the land. He loved it so much he made a woman out of dirt and married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/he-was-a-cowboy-mister-and-he-loved-the-land-he-loved-it-so-much-he/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [If you were a gladiator in olden days, I bet the inefficiency of how the gladiator fights were organized and scheduled would just drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/if-you-were-a-gladiator-in-olden-days-i-bet-the-inefficiency-of-how/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) [Explore all 358 Jack Handey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) ## More After school quotes > [If I have children, after school they'll always feel happy energy in the home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-na/if-i-have-children-after-school-they-ll-always-feel-happy-energy-in/) [Li Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-na/) > [I was pursuing the arts with theater in school, and I was doing after-school activities, but not in any real movement towards a professional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uzo-aduba/i-was-pursuing-the-arts-with-theater-in-school-and-i-was-doing-after/) [Uzo Aduba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uzo-aduba/) > [The internet is like a gossipy girls' locker room after school, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kapranos/the-internet-is-like-a-gossipy-girls-locker-room-after-school-isn-t-it/) [Alex Kapranos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kapranos/) > [In high school, one of the things I loved doing was this after-school program where you would teach computer skills to some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krieger/in-high-school-one-of-the-things-i-loved-doing-was-this-after-school/) [Mike Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krieger/) > [What are you? An after school special?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/what-are-you-an-after-school-special/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I used to watch 'Coming to America' every day after school. I have full-on long-running inside jokes with friends and family about different scenes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/i-used-to-watch-coming-to-america-every-day-after-school-i-have-full/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [I do after-school ballet and also hip-hop and jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-fanning/i-do-after-school-ballet-and-also-hip-hop-and-jazz/) [Elle Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-fanning/) > [I grew up babysitting and watching TRL after school. But the fact that I'm part of the whole new scripted development program that they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-rose-reed/i-grew-up-babysitting-and-watching-trl-after-school-but-the-fact-that/) [Jillian Rose Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-rose-reed/) > [In a world where people are hungry for quick fixes and sound bites, for instant gratification, there's no patience for the long, slow rebuilding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hill/in-a-world-where-people-are-hungry-for-quick-fixes-and-sound-bites/) [Dan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hill/) > [The library was open for one hour after school let out. I hid there, looking at art books and reading poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-barry/the-library-was-open-for-one-hour-after-school-let-out-i-hid-there/) [Lynda Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-barry/) > [When I was a kid, my favorite after-school snack was hominy and pickled pigs feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/when-i-was-a-kid-my-favorite-after-school-snack-was-hominy-and/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [Real, sane, mature love—the kind that pays the mortgage year after year and picks up the kids after school—is not based on infatuation but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/real-sane-mature-love-the-kind-that-pays-the-mortgage-year-after-year/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Acting was my after-school activity. I never planned on growing up and becoming an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paxton/acting-was-my-after-school-activity-i-never-planned-on-growing-up-and/) [Sara Paxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paxton/) > [When I was able to get home it first hit me that you had left and I couldn't do anything about it. Every day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/when-i-was-able-to-get-home-it-first-hit-me-that-you-had-left-and-i/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [I hate homework. I hate it more now than I did when I was the one lugging textbooks and binders back and forth from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayelet-waldman/i-hate-homework-i-hate-it-more-now-than-i-did-when-i-was-the-one/) [Ayelet Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-waldman/) [Browse all 120 After school quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/after-school/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was a kid my favorite relative was Uncle Caveman. After school we'd all go play in his cave, and every once in a while he would eat one of us. It wasn't until later that I found out that Uncle Caveman was a bear.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jack Handey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-i-was-a-kid-my-favorite-relative-was-uncle-caveman-after-school/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "After school" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-i-was-a-kid-my-favorite-relative-was-uncle-caveman-after-school/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f7/jack-handey-829_after-school_when-i-was-a-kid-my-favorite-relative-wa_2327864.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f7/jack-handey-829_after-school_when-i-was-a-kid-my-favorite-relative-wa_2327864.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f7/jack-handey-829_after-school_when-i-was-a-kid-my-favorite-relative-wa_2327864.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was a kid my favorite relative was Uncle Caveman. After school we'd all go play in his cave, and…” — Jack Handey", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jack Handey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was a kid my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-i-was-a-kid-my-favorite-relative-was-uncle-caveman-after-school/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-i-was-a-kid-my-favorite-relative-was-uncle-caveman-after-school/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```