Saturday, September 8, 2012

It Somewhat Smacks Of Charity

What a beautiful day in Hillmomba! Temperatures in the very low seventies. A glint of autumn in the slanted sunlight. The smell of freshly cut grass mingled with hickory smoke. But you know what the most sought-after activity was for the native Hillmombans?

HARVESTING FREE AIR FROM CASEY'S GENERAL STORE!

It's true! I dropped off The Pony for his bowling league, and proceeded to town for some gas. While I was there, I figured I would put some air in my slow-leak tire. It was down six pounds. Imagine my surprise when I saw, while gassing up T-Hoe, a LINE for the free air that flows like milk and honey from the brown box on the front wall of Casey's. A cool dude with no shirt, saggy jeans, and boxer briefs sucked from the teat of the convenience-store air hose. I thought I might have a chance to drive over when he pulled out. But NO! A red car came in beside him to wait. And that guy hosed it up as well. While I was in line waiting for a young couple in front of me to come back from the soda machine and pay the $29 and change for their two individual slices apiece of pizza, and energy drinks in small bottles, and Red Bulls, and who knows what else, I spied out the front window a truck that had backed in beside the magical air dispenser.

A GUY IN OVERALLS WAS FILLING A TANK WITH THE FREE AIR!!!

That's a new one on me. I know that Farmer H has an air compressor at the BARn. And that the #1 son says we have a tank that we fill with air from the compressor to put air in my T-HOE tires (except in times when they lose four pounds of air a week and really need it routinely). But I never in my wildest dreams or nightmares thought I would see a guy in overalls at Casey's filling a tank with air from the red car-hose.

Then again...it's free. People are gonna soak up whatever resources they can if they don't have to pay.

3 comments:

Sioux Roslawski said...

Free air? Next, you'll be claiming that water flows freely to quench our thirst.

I'll have to keep my eyes alert, to make sure Earth does not careen off its axis and fly out of its orbit...

knancy said...

Val and Sioux:
We're wobbly already. What "free" air we now have is so polluted we cannot breathe it in a healthful fashion. If I didn't have COPD I would be out on a goat farm in the middle of "No Where, WV". AC is not just for cooling but in my condition to be able to breathe.

I am surprised that there is still a place that offers free compressed air. Now, hot air (BS) unfortunately is still free and blowing all around me (with flatulence mixed in with it, I'm sure).

Thank the Gummi Mary for AC!

Hillbilly Mom said...

Sioux,
You'd better get measured for your handbasket. I can hook you up.

**********
knancy,
Having a hobby goat farm in my side yard, I can attest that the air passing over it is not fit for man nor beast. I would have to pay people to take Farmer H's goat air.

Thank the Gummi Mary that you are adept at crafting your own handbasket.

Casey's is the only place around here that offers free air. The other convenience stores have the machines that take quarters. It's a dollar for a minute or two. That's highway robbery!