Thursday, August 21, 2008

Open Letter to a Gas Station

Dear gas station closest to my house,

Let me start by saying how much I appreciate your convenient location. If I notice I’m running low on gas I can pull in and fill up and it takes very little time. Since I’m often running late these days, time is of the essence.

I also appreciate that your price per gallon is often a few cents lower than the gas stations located inside the city of Rochester. It’s nice that there is that perk of living out in the sticks, away from many conveniences for several years.

But I want you to know that I’m considering leaving you. There is a gas station at the Fleet Farm that is not much farther out of my way. In fact, it’s often right along my way since it’s across the road from Target (where I like to give all of our money away).

I have, in the past, pulled my car up to the pump, selected pay at the pump, pressed the “no” button for the car wash, then the “yes” button because I would like a receipt.

Yesterday, you didn’t ask me if I wanted a receipt. I didn’t think about it and filled the tank anyway. After I was done, I hung up the nozzle and waited for my receipt.

Your receipt is inside.

Let me just say that I was a little irked by that. I have three kids that I would need to get out of the car and herd across the busy parking lot, dodging requests for Bug Juice and Cheetos.

Making me go inside the store to get my receipt essentially negates the purpose of paying at the pump.

Yesterday, I just wrote the amount on a scrap paper I had in my purse instead of retrieving the receipt. I had a headache already and I didn’t have the time or the patience to get all the kids out of the car so I could get a slip of paper that should have printed outside.
Be warned, next time I need gas I’ll probably be going somewhere else. But when I get over my irritation enough that I’m willing to give you another chance, I expect my transaction to be completed outside, like I said I wanted.

Sincerely,
Heather

9 people like me!:

Awesome Mom said...

That would bug me too!

Life As I Know It said...

Um, yeah, kind of defeats the whole purpose of paying at the pump!

cathouse teri said...

Here's my favorite gas station story:

Once, a friend of mine wanted me to drive him about town just because he didn't like driving himself. I told him he'd have to pay for the gas. He said, "No problem-o." At the end of the day, I was leaving his house and realized I was on empty and we hadn't stopped to get gas. He said, "Oh here, I'll give you some money," and proceeded to collect a baggie full of change from a jarful he had nearby. I just stared at him. He said, "Sorry. That's all I have on hand right now." Jeez.

So I go to the gas station and I hand this baggie to the clerk. He laughs and dumps it out onto the counter. I say, "I want that much on Pump Four." Oky doky, he nods. There is such a pregnant pause as I watch him count, so I add, "This is how much you get for a blowjob these days."

(I still don't get why your daughter called your breasts Zebras. Can you 'splain?)

S said...

Yes. That is all.

Heather said...

teri- that is a great story.

I will blog my response to the zebras thing soon.

Maude Lynn said...

Exactly!

motherbumper said...

That would be enough to make me switch - seriously, what's the point of paying at the pump. Arggg...

Oh and I must say how jealous I am that you can shop at Target (I cannot go into the US without making a stop at the beloved Tar-jay). They would have all my money too.

Jeff and Charli Lee said...

I think that pump was probably out of paper, and it automatically tells you to go inside to get your receipt. But yeah, if it happens again you should go in and tell the manager you're not coming back and why. They need to know why their losing customers.

Damselfly said...

Sometimes, gas stations defy logic.

 
Blog Designed by : NW Designs