Thursday, December 6, 2012

Gnarly, dude


Perched on top of the cashier's office/convenience store at the Chevron station at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Sunset Boulevard is an animatronic pelican that talks.

"Whoa, dude!" you hear a voice say as you're pumping gas. "Great set of wheels! Cool car!" It has the voice of the quintessential California surf-stoner, Jeff Spicoli.


The thing's beak opens and shuts, and the wings give a quiver. Then the whole thing swivels left, then right. Then it stops and goes silent. A minute later, it starts up again.


"Welcome to the station, dude!"

OK, this is both gnarly AND creepy. I don't want to have a stoned robot pelican talk to me while I'm pumping gas.

It looks demented, truly.
What about you, dude?

7 comments:

  1. that "thing" has frightened the life out of me at least twice ... I can't stand it - you stand there, vulnerable, a woman on her own pumping gas, often late at night as I prepare to drive up the canyon ... and this 'thing' starts talking at you ... I don't like it, especially at night! Patricia

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  2. The pelican sounds a little scary where it is, but I'd love to have one in my office cubicle at my day job. I'd program it to say stuff to the boss that I couldn't get away with on my own.

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  3. stoned robot pelican

    My band name, at last I haz it!
    ~

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  4. This totally sounds like something you would find in the (not so) great state of Florida. I think I'll pass on the gnarly stoned talking pelican thank you. I can also pass on watching TV on my gas pump for the few minutes it takes me to put gas in my car. Somehow I think I can muddle through my day without those extra few minutes of Mario Lopez.

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  5. Geez, I sound crabby. You kids get off my lawn!

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  6. That thing drives me crazy. I didn't realize it was a pelican, I just heard the stoner voice. Wow, bad idea gone wildly wrong. I don't even go to that gas station anymore because there were weird things happening when I tried to use my credit card.

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  7. How did I miss it? Maybe because I alwasy sit in my car and listen to the radio while I refuel. Will pay more attention next time

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