Life Lessons

So this isn't the update on life that I promised, and it isn't really about valuable life lessons, but it was quite an adventure. I wanted to blog about it when it happened last week, but time flies and here I am a week and a half later hoping I can to it justice...

Last week (on Wednesday) in Oakland, I learned that it is possible to spend 30 minutes putting 2 gallons of gas into a car. Not possible, you say? That's what I thought...

I made a quick trip to Oakland for one of our clients. On Wednesday, I was kind of out of work and getting a little anxious to leave, so I left the office at 2:30--almost 2.5 hours before my flight--for the airport (I was working 3 miles from the rental car return, I was already checked in, and I wasn't checking a bag--this was ridiculously early). I figured I'd fill up the rental car (we don't get reimbursed if we let the rental car place fill it up...lame), return the car, and get through security early enough to sit down to a decent lunch and still have time to do some sudoku before I boarded the plane.

At the gas station, I hesitate before pulling up to the pump because I realize I have no idea which side the tank is on. I generally pick the driver's side first (this has always worked for me in the past). So, I pull up to the pump, get out, realize I was wrong, get back in, and make a nice, wide (embarrassing) u-turn to the other side of the pump (+1 minute).

In the midst of my turn, I almost run over the teenage salesman who had decided to stand in front of the pump. I smile, trying to apologize for almost hitting him, but he takes it as an invitation to begin his sales pitch... After letting him begin to tell me about their "special, free promotion," I let him know that I'm in a rental car and I can't take what he's selling on the plane with me (+3 minutes). I probably should've let him finish, but I was really looking forward to my lunch and sudoku...

So I'm all set to get my gas (it must be noted here that the machine accepts my credit card/zip code without a problem), I've selected the fuel grade and everything. All I need to do is pump the gas, but when I hold down the handle, nothing happens... There's no resistance to the lever, and when I hold it down all the way, no gas comes out. After trying a few times, the disappointed salesman walks over and says, "Oh yeah, I think that pump has been having problems. People keep trying to pump gas and end up going inside to talk to the guy..." Awesome. Maybe if I had been nice to him, he would've warned me earlier (4 minutes).

I take the salesman's advice and go inside. I wait for two people to pay for their hot dog and gas. When it's my turn, I tell the man behind the counter about my problem. He looks at the register and says "Everything's okay on pump 5. It's ready." I explain that I've been trying. And then he amazes me with his response, "Well, you have to push the handle for the gas to come out..." Really??? Is that how gas pumps work? (+6 minutes -- this guy was in no hurry)

Realizing that the clerk is going to be no help, I decide to switch pumps. The little salesman laughs as I cancel my transaction on pump 5 and move the car forward to pump 6 (+2 minutes).

I get everything set up for a second time: open the gas tank, swipe my credit card, enter my zip code... But this time, the machine beeps at me and tells me to see the clerk. So back inside I go. I wait as someone buys a soda, and tell the clerk that it says I need to come inside. He says, "It won't let you use this card out there, you have do to it in here..." Instead of arguing that it worked earlier, I decide to just comply. Then he asks, "How much?" I tell him I want to fill it up. He holds on to my credit card and sends me back outside. I walk away, a little wary of what he might do with it while I'm gone (+6 minutes).

I pump the gas (FINALLY!!), which amounts to a whopping $4, and go back inside. I wait as the clerk returns to the counter and swipes my card. I sign the receipt, get in my car, and finally leave the gas station (+5 minutes). I took one glance back and I swear I saw the salesman laughing...

I still ended up being early to the airport, but not early enough to eat in a sit-down restaurant. Instead, I opted for a CPK pizza while I did my sudoku :).

Moral(s) of the story: Be nice to the little people (salesmen?); you may need them.... And, my favorite lesson of all: You have to squeeze the handle to make the gas flow!

(Sorry this was so long... I've been thinking about it since I left the gas station and decided it might amuse someone else too.)