Please, my son - he is very sick
| Please, my son - he is very sick | |
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The Please, my son - he is very sick meme has gained significant traction within the digital forklift community.
One of the earliest and most popular instances was posted to the r/forkliftmemes subreddit on December 28, 2020. The meme typically features a large forklift carrying a much smaller object. Often a plastic kitchen fork or a miniature toy forklift—accompanied by the caption, Please, my son - he is very sick.
History
The Please, my son - he is very sick text itself is a much older snowclone (a type of meme template) that dates back to at least 2016-2017. It has been used with various images, including cats, rabbits, and even Guy Fieri, to depict a larger entity "pleading" for a smaller one.
The forklift version specifically plays on the literal interpretation of the word forklift by showing it "lifting" its "son" (a fork). It saw a resurgence and widespread sharing across platforms like Reddit and Pinterest between 2020 and 2023.
Online presence
The meme is most active on r/forkliftmemes, where it is frequently reposted and adapted. It also appears regularly on broader platforms like Pinterest and Tumblr.
It exists within a larger trend of Forklift Certification memes, which ironically elevate the status of warehouse labor and forklift operation to a desirable trait or superpower.
Online interaction with the meme often involves users playing along with the absurdist tone, offering medical advice for the sick fork, such as suggesting a slap on the back or more propane — to maintain the joke.
While it started as a static image, the joke has spread to platforms like TikTok and Twitter through video variations showing large industrial forklifts gently carrying miniature toys.
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