Jury duty today. Lots of downtime, so no more excuses for ‘post procrastination’. While hanging about waiting to be funneled through the metal detector, I noticed several rather daunting signs involving incarceration. Which set me to musing about other signs I’ve seen, some rather (unintentionally, I can only assume) hilarious.
A few of these: The Our Lady of Perpetual Help Business School, the (ahem) Karen Horney Clinic, and the Master Cabbie Taxi Academy — where, during a particularly exasperating period of freelance fatigue, I imagined myself working. I practiced answering their phone, in my best receptionist tones: ‘Master Cabbie Taxi Academy. How may I direct your call?’
But few signs please me more than the punny ones. Laundry and dry cleaning establishments seem to have a corner on the market here. Among my favorites: Hand Laundry (watch out for sticky fingers!), Joseph Cleaners (what do I do with Mary?), Mekong Cleaners (for dirty deltas, I’m guessing) and Wong Cleaners (no, I couldn’t make this up).
I’ve also seen Executive Disposal on a garbage truck and the tagline ‘thriving for perfection’ (huh?) on an auto body shop.
And, last (for now), yet certainly not least, this sign on the LIE: ‘Long Is Expressway’. Indeed.
What about you? Seen any amusing signs lately?
p.s. Check out ‘Oh no, Danger Man’ for fun warning signs. (Yes, warning signs can be fun!)
New York City. August 2014
St. Louis has a trash company called “Christian Disposal”.
Holy Moly, Dan. That’s righteous.
Thanks , Alice — I love your blog………
Sue Grafton only has 3 letters left in the alphabet
PS — Don Westrich — another Ogilvy alumni
Thanks Harriet. Glad about you and Don. Sad about Sue!
I remember, as a college freshman, reading a line in a Psych 101 text on human sexuality which went “…many researchers, notably Horney…”. I wondered how many other froshes recognized the unintentional double-entendre.
the hair business has cornered the market: Hair It Is, Vanity Hair, Sheer Pleasure…the list is endless. Thanks for your musings, Alice! x
Slow Children Ahead
Oh Lyle. You slay me. Watch for my riff on ‘Danger Man’. Coming soon.
My longstanding favorite: A yellow caution sign spotted on the Sunset Highway between Portland and Cannon Beach, Oregon with only two words:
“Deer Elk”
… to which I would reply, sometimes out loud
“How is Moose?”