Gas Pains

I refuse to join the masses in yelling "Crises!" - but the gas issue struck home this morning and was almost a problem.

Yesterday, I heard rumblings that some areas were out of gas. I really didn't notice it because I didn't need gas. I might have learned more about the issue had I stopped for gas on my way home as I had intended at some point.
Since procrastination is one of my strong points, I decided to put off buying gas until I went to the hospital to see Dad. Unbeknownst to me, R. had also put off buying gas in the hope that I would take her car when I went to the hospital and fill up her tank. Both of these strategies were discombobulated by the fact that I decided not to go to the hospital after all.

So this morning we all left for our respective destinations with little fuel to get us there.

I planned to stop at the Shell station in a small town on my route to work. I don't really like that station but you can pay at the pump. I was somewhat disturbed to find that there were no gas prices on their sign and no cars at the pumps.

I drove on, cranking up the level of panic in my silent prayers.

This little berg just doesn't have a lot of choices for gas buying and my trip to work involves a long haul over a mountain with few resources on it. So when my second and third options were used up, I really began to pray.

There is a station at the foot of that mountain I mentioned and it was kind of a last resort because they only accept cash and I didn't remember much of that stuff residing in my wallet the last time I had looked. I began calculating the amount I thought I had and dividing that by the approximate price per gallon, and then multiplying that by my estimated miles per gallon.

I pulled into the station, someone was parked at the pump - "Great!" - I thought, then I saw the little sticky-note signs that were stuck on the pumps and read "out". Okay, now it was time to pray in earnest.

I called to check on R. - she had stopped at good ole' Walmart and filled up for considerably less than the prices I was seeing on these empty stations.

I called work, I would be late. I was glad to get to leave a voicemail instead of having to explain to someone that I was immature and couldn't manage the responsibility of making sure I had gasoline in my car...

On my way into the heart of the little town, I found a spot. From all the alcoholic beverage signs in the window, it was plain to me that gas was a mere sideline for this business.

There was a guy in front of me pumping gas, so I felt a sense of relief -UNLESS HE GOT IT ALL! - with that motivating thought I whipped around and backed over to the other side of the pump.

On the pump was a little handwritten sign. I read it cautiously - expecting the word "out" to jump off the page... but it really didn't make sense. The sign said something about the "Advertised Special" and something about "Credit Cards" and "Pre-Pay" and what appeared to be a "2X" .

As I tried to decipher the code, the guy beside me decided it might be important that he know what his sign said. "Does that mean that charge you double for using a credit card?" he asked. I didn't know.
The message at the bottom of the little card was very clear though, it read "We have a large selections of wines". It was as if the owner was trying to drive people into such a state of confusion and unrest that only a bottle of cheap wine would help them forget their pain.

I went inside to investigate.

The proprietor's command of the English language was not good, but he made up for it in speed. I, on the other hand, slowed my already-sluggish speech pattern in order to be better understood.

I asked him about the sign and he began to explain; after asking him to repeat himself once, I soon realized that my efforts to translate-on-the-fly were useless.

So I just "punted". I asked if I could buy gas with a credit card, and held up my "Discover".

I should note here for all of you that are aware that I am a fan of Dave Ramsey and the "Total Money Makeover", that I believe strongly in the elimination of every reliance on credit cards. But we are not there yet. We are down to a couple.

Anyway, I just asked. And he responded "yeah ... but maybe not that one... do you have visa? mastercard?" .

For a second time, I began calculating my cash-on-hand divided by price-per gallon and - "It worked" he said.

I pumped my gas and left feeling lighter. At the first of next month I should feel even lighter when that credit card bill comes in.