I Took The Bait

While some people despise advertising along the highway, I often get a kick out of it. On the down-side it spoils the view, but it’s Friday, so I want to look at the positive side of highway advertising for Only The Good. “What would that be?” you ask. Entertainment value!

This week, while driving down a farm to market road, a particular sign caught my eye. After I passed it, I realized I that only four words on that sign sunk into my brain: Live Bait Scented Candles.

Those candles come in nightcrawler, worm, minnow, meal grub, Euro larva, and cricket scents.

I wondered, “Have those folks never read their sign?”

Well, that advertising hooked me, so to speak, and I did a U-turn so I could get that picture. When I stopped, I just had to go inside. Sure enough, they did sell scented candles. I looked at the signs labeling every stinkin’ one, and there weren’t any labeled “Minnow.” I actually did buy one labeled “Frankincense and Myrrh,” because I felt sorry for those good folks. See, advertising works (one way or another). Y’all know that a roadside store in the middle of nowhere is not an easy way to make a living. I figured that very few candle aficionados are drawn in by that advertising. Probably the only customers they ever get are carping old fishermen and ridiculously silly people like me.

I expect you are scratching your heads wondering why I bothered to get that picture. You see, I’m still lamenting one of those pictures I didn’t take! There is a tiny shopping center in Farmersville, Texas that had a sign for the shops located in it. The sign has changed since years ago, when it read:

I wish I had a picture of that. Stuff like that only happens in Texas.

I’ve had other roadsigns that I enjoyed, particularly this one:

There is still hope?

My favorite roadsigns aren’t along the highways anymore. Do y’all not remember the Burma Shave signs that dotted the roadsides? I think the advertising campaign stopped in the early 1960s, but we used to press our noses to the window glass as Daddy drove us down the road — watching for those six signs posted in consecutive order on the roadside. One that I really remember seeing said,

While that roadside advertising can be very unsightly, it gives me a chuckle and makes my trips seem shorter. I’ll call that “good.”

Has any roadside advertising ever caught your eye?

I hope you all have a weekend filled with Only The Good!

Other posts you might enjoy:

1. Vacation is Good
2. The Shell of A Roadside Attraction in Decatur
3. Bizarre at the Henderson Street Bazaar
4. Alien Buried at Aurora?
5. Off To See The Wizard Wells

Tagged as: humor, Only The Good Friday