Shell

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. At dusk, when Shell's neon sign flickered to life, an old man parked his car and entered the station. The clerk noticed he wasn't alone—an invisible passenger sat next to him in the rearview mirror. The clerk smiled as the old man reached for his usual pack of cigarettes. ‘Same guy again?’ he asked with a twinkle in his eye. The old man nodded, turning back to the mirror where his silent companion watched intently. ‘Guess I’ll be seeing you soon,’ he muttered, climbing back into his car. As he drove off, the neon sign dimmed slightly, leaving just enough light for one last wink.

2. At nightfall, when Shell’s red-and-yellow sign glowed like a beacon, a little girl pointed excitedly and whispered, ‘Daddy, look! It looks like a giant smiley face!’ Her father smiled and nodded, squinting into the twilight. ‘It sure does, honey,’ he said softly. A nearby delivery driver chuckled and remarked, “Must be why they never change that sign—keeps kids coming back for more!” And indeed, every evening, families would gather around Shell, drawn by its friendly glow and whispers of mystery.

3. At dawn, when Shell’s pump nozzles glistened wet from the night’s rain, a curious dog approached the gas station. It sniffed the air intently and then began barking at something invisible to human eyes. Suddenly, an old man appeared out of nowhere, scratching his head. ‘What on earth is that dog going nuts about?’ he asked himself, bending down to peer into the empty air. The dog stopped barking, looked up at him with a wagging tail, and walked off, clearly satisfied with whatever it had seen. The old man shook his head and muttered, ‘Guess I’ll get my coffee somewhere else.’

4. At midnight, when Shell’s pumps reflected moonlight on the desert highway, a delivery driver noticed something odd. Every time he filled up, the price on the digital display changed—first it read $1.99, then $1.87, and finally, just as he drove off, it briefly flashed ‘FREE’. Nobody else seemed to notice. Curious, the driver mentioned it to his neighbor over coffee. The next day, everyone in town lined up for gas, expecting free fuel. To their surprise, every pump indeed briefly said ‘FREE’—but only for drivers wearing red shirts. And so, ever since, Shell’s parking lot has been full of people changing their shirts before filling up.