The Gorilla

In my home town in Texas, there's this little establishment that's always had this mechanical gorilla out front to get your attention.

This mechanical gorilla has been there since I was in high school, at least thirty years. When you drive by, one can't help but notice the darn thing. I think the owner of the store repairs vacuum cleaners or something.

When I worked at the bank in high school, one of my co-workers told us that every time she drove by this place, her little two-year-old boy would just start screaming and she never could figure out why. Finally, she realized the gorilla that was causing him to lose it.

As I drove by yesterday, there it was; the same gorilla, only looking worse for wear. It wasn't moving robotically anymore and I just figured the darn thing hand conked out after all these years.

I thought it would make good blog fodder, so I pulled over to get a photo of it. As I walked up to it, one of its arms moved up and lowered down. The gorilla still had a bit of life in him.