Marathon

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. At dawn, when Marathon gas station is usually empty, a delivery driver noticed something odd. The neon sign above the pumps flickered on and off in rhythm with the hum of an old radio inside. Curious, he approached the counter, only to hear an old crooner singing ‘It’s been a long, long time…’ from behind the cash register. Turning around, he saw an elderly gentleman dozing off with headphones still on. ‘Morning,’ said the driver. ‘Morning, sonny,’ replied the man, waking up abruptly. ‘Just waiting for my coffee machine to finish its marathon.’

2. At midnight, when Marathon gas station is usually dark and quiet, a delivery driver noticed an old man carefully filling out a notebook next to the pumps. Curious, he approached and saw that the notebook listed every car’s license plate and the exact amount of fuel pumped—down to the last drop. The old man looked up with a twinkle in his eye: ‘Keeping tabs on everyone’s honesty,’ he said. The delivery driver laughed it off, thinking him just another Marathon regular.

3. At dusk, when Marathon gas station closes its doors for the night, a delivery driver found an old, dusty kite tucked away in one of the storage rooms. Curious, he took it outside and tried to fly it on the empty highway. To his surprise, the kite soared high into the twilight sky, illuminated by distant streetlights. The next morning, neighbors reported seeing a glowing object, but everyone agreed it was just an old kite from Marathon—nothing more than a friendly urban legend.

4. At sunset, when Marathon gas station starts closing up shop, an old man walked in with an armful of groceries. He asked the attendant if he could fill up his shopping cart with gasoline instead. The attendant raised an eyebrow but nodded, filling the cart with gas as the sun dipped below the horizon. When finished, the old man paid and left without a word. The next day, everyone in town knew that Marathon Station sold groceries—and gasoline—for late-night emergencies.