I was recently reminded of the following story.
I'm sure many of you are familiar with the hamburger chain "In-N-Out" which is quite popular in the Southwestern US. During the 80s, you could go to one of the restaurants and pick up a free bumper sticker with "IN-N-OUT BURGER" boldly proclaimed in white letters on a bright red background. It quickly became fashionable to cut out the letters "B" and "R" in the word "BURGER" and slap the revised sticker on your car. Suggesting something much more than a simple fast-food meal.
In 1984, I got my drivers license and my parents handed me the keys to our 1975 Datsun 710 station wagon. I quickly proceeded to cover the back bumper in all sorts of obnoxious stickers, but I hadn't yet gotten around to putting the "In-N-Out Urge" on the car. However, a crafty buddy of mine decided we could do better. He got a few of the bumper stickers, some scissors and some tape, and custom-made a sticker just for my car:
IN-N-OUT BURRITO
Talk about suggestive!
Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of his handiwork, but he did such an awesome job! You had to get real close to it to see that it was a hack.
Soon after, In-N-Out revised their bumper stickers and substituted a cartoon picture of a burger for the word "Burger". Oh well. It was fun while it lasted.
2 comments:
Yeah when I was stationed @ Santa Ana modifying the sticker was what we did. Back in the 80s it was a mandatory item.
Ah, the good ol’ days. When people could put funny things on their cars without worrying about the conseqences.
“Just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not after me.” or “WARNING! I drive like you.” or during the LA freeway shootings, “Cover me Tonto, I’m changing lanes.”
Perhaps my all-time favorite was spotted on an MG, while inching through a toll plaza. (Before they were automated.) “All the parts falling off this car are of the finest in British craftsmanship.”
Yes, I even saw an “In-N-Out URGE” in Northern California, before I’d ever heard of In-N-Out.
Arriving in the city of Dallas Texass (sic) I recall seeing a Christian bookstore right below a big freeway billboard for a strip joint. Texas is a truly bizarre place. I frequently wish I’d never moved here. On the other hand, due to life not turning out as planned, it’s about the only place I can afford on Social Security, renting a lot in a trailer park. Assuming I don’t live much past 80, by my current estimate. Also assuming the US & Social Security make it through the next 4 years intact.
They do have In-N-Out here, and even Round Table Pizza now. I still miss TOGO’s sandwiches though. I always enjoyed telling the sandwich maker I wanted one of each kind of cheese on my sandwich. That got funny looks. Then there was the time I walked in early for lunch, and handed the guy a $20. “Got anything smaller?” he asked. He wasn’t amused when I handed him a one dollar bill. (I thought it was pretty funny though!) People need a sense of humor, especially nowadays.
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