There are lots of animal mascots for companies: Chessie, the cat, who used to be for a railroad corporation (I don't know if poor old Chessie got shuffled away in the various buyouts), the Geico gecko, the Exxon tiger.

There are a couple of oddball mascots, though, one that I've seen off and on for years, and one I just ran across the other day, that I find kind of endearing.

First off: the Mitsui OSK alligator. I've seen this mascot off and on for years - mainly on the side of shipping containers being carried on freight trains, either as I sat in the station waiting on my Amtrak, or while I sat on the Amtrak during one of the (seemingly interminable) waits while a freight passed us. I always wondered a bit about the alligator - it seemed a bit strange, and out of place, and some versions of it, the alligator looks almost worried or something. (I also love the way that website is written, though I presume it's largely an English as a Second Language fact that gives it its charm: "The anchor tattoo on the Alligator's arm is dandy, isn't it?")

Apparently I'm not the only one who finds the alligator a bit fascinating: This blogger (NB, a bit of strong-ish language) went on a quest for a MOL t-shirt. And wound up dealing with a surprisingly nice company who actually told him, "Here's a copy of the logo. We don't sell t-shirts but you can go ahead and put it on a t-shirt as long as you don't do anything offensive with it."

The blogger loved the alligator so much he even made a needlepoint pattern featuring it. 

Second, the newer-to-me mascot: The Manac Flying Moose. This is apparently a truck-trailer company (based in St. Georges, Quebec). I spotted a trailer with Manac mudflaps the other day, waiting next to me (waiting for the turn lane onto 70E) as I was going home. 

The mascot is a flying moose, which is supposed to come from an Abenaquis legend. It's funny how we just accept Pegasus as part of mythology, but how wings attached to another animal that doesn't have them can surprise. I looked over at the truck and thought "it's a flying moose." And then "wait, what? a flying moose?" and then "Wow, that's a cool idea."

It's a flying moose. Which I think could probably whup that sissy Pegasus any day. I think I know who I'd want coming to my aid if I was really in danger.