Toot'n Totum

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. In the early morning fog of a typical autumn day in New England, a delivery driver pulled up to Toot‘n Totum gas station. As he stepped out, he noticed something odd—an old man, dressed entirely in camouflage, was filling his truck with gas while humming an unfamiliar tune. Just as the driver leaned closer to ask what song it was, the old man turned around and said, ‘It’s my secret code for “fill ’er up”!’ They both laughed, and from that day on, whenever anyone filled their tank there, they’d hear that same mysterious tune. The end.

2. At dawn, when most gas stations are quiet as church basements, Toot‘n Totum hummed with an unusual activity. A delivery driver arrived with a crate so heavy even his truck struggled to hold it. The driver grunted and unlocked the crate, revealing a dozen gigantic jars of jam. Turns out, Toot‘n Totum had just received its weekly supply from a local farmer’s wife who insisted on delivering them personally every Tuesday morning. As the sun rose higher, customers lined up for their usual fill-up—and free sample of strawberry preserves.

3. At midnight, when even streetlights sleep, an old pickup truck pulled into Toot’n Totum’s lone pump. The gas gauge needle danced wildly, but the tank never filled up—just enough to keep the engine purring until dawn. Finally, as first light broke, a sleepy delivery driver walked in and asked for his usual coffee. ‘Fill it up again,’ he said with a yawn. The attendant shook his head, grinning. ‘It’s empty, sir.’ The man stretched, rubbed his eyes—and looked down at his shirt pocket, where his trusty thermos sat, still half-full.

4. At sunset, when dusk turns parking lots into shadows, a little girl pointed excitedly at Toot‘n Totum’s sign. ‘Mommy,’ she whispered, ‘why does it say “Open All Night” if it closes at nine?’ A nearby neighbor overheard and chuckled. ‘It’s because they open at six in the morning!’ he explained, patting her head gently. The little girl nodded wisely, satisfied with his answer—until dawn broke, revealing that Toot’n Totum indeed had a small neon sign reading ‘Open All Night’ that never changed.