Dragoon, Arizona: The Thing

I have passed by The Thing many times as a child, always begging my father to stop. This year, while on a trip back to Arizona to see friends, I got my wish. My husband agreed to stop and see The Thing.

The first time I remember seeing the sign for The Thing I was 5 years old. My twenty years of wonder finally have been revealed to me...and I'm not telling what The Thing is. All I will tell you is, please do not keep your children in suspense for over 20 years. My daughter, now 12, has seen The Thing and she taunts her brother that he has not. But he will. It will become a family tradition for generations. Please stop and see The Thing.

After going thru the fake mine entrance and past Hitler's Buick, you arrive at the last building, where you will finally see The Thing -- the "Mystery of the Desert" that you read about on ten thousand billboards. I was kinda anxious about seeing something so famous.

The first thing you notice is a horizontal case with glass on top. The glass keeps you from copping a feel of The Thing. This is probably a good idea. Still, once you see The Thing, you notice that it looks dirty, which begs the question: Don't they ever give The Thing a bath? You might want to stop next time you are by Dragoon, Arizona. There's nothing like seeing The Thing in person!

Godfrey Daniels reports, in reponse to our outrage at the lack of attraction-relevant souvenirs at The Thing?, that they got'em, now. "But for some reason you almost have to ask them. Either that, or stumble across their "the thing" shot glasses, t-shirts, post cards, and bumper stickers. I was just there, on the way back from the Houston art car weekend.