Getting Gas Shouldn't Be This Hard..

Mid February, 2009, Wednesday, approx. 5:10am, raining and 45Deg: My gas light has been on for a day...or so... and I must get gas this morning. Perfect! The nearest gas station is only 4 miles away and RIGHT next to the espresso stand!! As I round the last corner, maybe 2 miles straight shot to the station, the car begins lurching. Naturally, I punch the throttle and am going approx. 75mph when, 1/4 of a mile from the station with nowhere to pull off on a double lined blind hill, I get behind a huge truck going the speed limit. I just can't make it. I am forced to stop in the middle of the road (no shoulder), put on the flashers and hoof it to the station. I call Todd and he leaves work, meets me there and takes me to my car (where traffic has started to build.)

Todd: How long has the light been on?
Me: Only, like, a day.
Todd: When did it come on?
Me: On my way home from the doctor's office.
Todd: Your appointment was Monday. It's Wednesday. Your gas light came on in Bellingham, you drove home, to work, home, to work, home again and then tried to make it to the station? How many gas stations have you passed in the last 3 days?
Me: It's Wednesday? Hmmm. You sound like my dad. Take me to my car.

He empties the gallon jug and heads back to work. I proceed to the gas station to top the tank off. I forgot my purse in his truck on the first ride, so I have to call him to come back. Bummer. So, I get my latte (better late than never) and head to work. PS. Don't tell my dad.

Yesterday, Wednesday, approx. 5:30pm: My gas light came on while on my way to work, so after running a few errands, I figure its best to get gas before I head home. Naturally, I pick the busiest, craziest, quitting-time rush hour station to fill up. There's a huge line for the pumps, so I pick my spot and wait. A spot opens up and I pull in. The pump is on the opposite side of the tank, but no worries - my car is small and I will pull the handle over the roof and pump and be gone. I put in my card, select my grade and pull on the handle. It is too short! I cannot make it. Dammit. The vulchers are eyeing my spot, but I've already put my card in and it won't let me cancel the transaction. I will not pay for the next guy's gas!
The nice guy pumping gas beside me says, "I'll stand in your spot if you wanna back up and turn around." Perfect! Who says chivalry is dead? I say, "My husband will be so mad if I run out of gas again." He looks at me weird and says, "Again??"

So, I start to back out and just as I do some a-hole comes in at a perpendicular angle and tries to steal my spot. The car line up is so long that I can't get good distance to turn around so now I am wedged crooked - as is the jerk who trying to steal my spot. Total fiasco. The guy holding my spot gets the jerk out of there and after several cars rearrange their configuration I'm able to reposition my car and fill it up. Thank god. So, as I grab my receipt and start to go I realize there are SIX empty pumps nearby!! I should have waited just 5 minutes!! Either that or everyone left after witnessing my driving skills.

Either way, had I listened to my dad's advice this NEVER would have happened. He told me when I was sixteen (and every year since then): "It's just as easy to keep the top 1/2 full as it is to keep the bottom 1/2 full!!!" Agreed.