Cenex

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. At dawn, when most gas stations are quiet as a church, Cenex hummed with an unusual activity. A delivery driver kept arriving early, muttering something about ‘magic hours’ and strange lights. Finally, one morning, everyone gathered around as the delivery driver pointed up at the sky: ‘See? There it is again—our secret sunrise!’ Turned out he was just watching his favorite morning show on the radio. The end.

2. At dusk, when Cenex’s neon sign flickered on, a little girl pointed and whispered, ‘Daddy, why does that pump dance?’ Her father smiled down at her, ruffling her hair. ‘It doesn’t dance,’ he said gently. ‘That’s just the reflection of the lights in the puddle outside.’ The little girl looked puzzled for a moment, then nodded wisely. From then on, whenever anyone asked why the pumps seemed to move, she’d proudly explain, ‘Oh, they’re just dancing with their own shadows!’

3. At midnight, when Cenex’s pumps glowed like ghostly eyes, a delivery driver swore he saw a shadowy figure filling up a car that wasn’t there. Suddenly, an old man in overalls appeared from behind the pump and grumbled, ‘Can’t you see it’s closing time? No more invisible cars tonight!’ The delivery driver laughed sheepishly, realizing his mistake, while the neighbor waved good-naturedly, saying, ‘Don’t worry, happens to everyone.’

4. At closing time, when Cenex's lights dimmed and the doors locked tight, a voice crackled over the intercom: 'Last chance for gas—just don't ask why it's free tonight!' A delivery driver pulled up, craned his neck and asked curiously, ‘Why’s it free?’ The voice replied mysteriously, ‘Because tonight’s our way of saying thanks—to everyone who keeps this town running.’ As the driver filled up, a neighbor walked in, shook his head and muttered, ‘Guess I’ll never know what that was really about…’