Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - What famous thing surprised you when you saw it in person?

handsolow · 09-05-2005, 02:57 PM

I was surprised, quite literally, about something I thought to be fictional. The city of metropolis. I was driving back from St. Louis to my home in atlanta after visiting some online friends of mine (an old quake-playing teammate and his gf). I drove down Interstate 24 through illinois headed towards Kentucky. As I neared the state border, a sign caught my eye: "Don't miss the GIANT superman!" Since this was an ungodly long car ride, I was bored and by myself, and I had never really seen any of these "highway sightseeing spectacles" before, I thought: "enh, why not". So I pull off at the next exit and go right like the sign indicated... And drove for 3 miles. Nothing.

So I drive a little further, and I am out in the boonies, I don't see much of anything, and it's starting to get a little creepy. I tell myself I'll drive one more mile before turning around, and then it happens. I pass a sign saying "Welcome to metropolis! Population: 1,172". (can't recall the exact number)

I kid you not, this town WORSHIPS superman. I passed clark kent elementary school. I passed a "Super Car Wash" place with a big mural depicting the man of steel washing a car. And I must have also passed about 50 comic books shops. I didn't need to stop and enter them to see what their focus was.

But I finally reached the center of the town, and there was the giant superman. I had been expecting something akin to one of those used car lot blow up figures. But this was an honest to god giant bronze statue of superman in a patriotic-protecting pose. It was damned impressive. Best "pull off the highway" attraction ever.

09-05-2005, 02:57 PM	#85 (permalink)
handsolow Upright	I was surprised, quite literally, about something I thought to be fictional. The city of metropolis. I was driving back from St. Louis to my home in atlanta after visiting some online friends of mine (an old quake-playing teammate and his gf). I drove down Interstate 24 through illinois headed towards Kentucky. As I neared the state border, a sign caught my eye: "Don't miss the GIANT superman!" Since this was an ungodly long car ride, I was bored and by myself, and I had never really seen any of these "highway sightseeing spectacles" before, I thought: "enh, why not". So I pull off at the next exit and go right like the sign indicated... And drove for 3 miles. Nothing. So I drive a little further, and I am out in the boonies, I don't see much of anything, and it's starting to get a little creepy. I tell myself I'll drive one more mile before turning around, and then it happens. I pass a sign saying "Welcome to metropolis! Population: 1,172". (can't recall the exact number) I kid you not, this town WORSHIPS superman. I passed clark kent elementary school. I passed a "Super Car Wash" place with a big mural depicting the man of steel washing a car. And I must have also passed about 50 comic books shops. I didn't need to stop and enter them to see what their focus was. But I finally reached the center of the town, and there was the giant superman. I had been expecting something akin to one of those used car lot blow up figures. But this was an honest to god giant bronze statue of superman in a patriotic-protecting pose. It was damned impressive. Best "pull off the highway" attraction ever.