Thursday, June 27, 2013

Even Steven Giveth...

...and Even Steven taketh away.

Today we had to transfer some of our vast fortune to prepare for the #1 son's imminent foray into higher education. The Pony wanted to spend the day at his grandma's house, soaking up love and high-speed internet. He has a couple of new computer games that need installation.

On the way, I stopped for gas. Because of a rickety bridge replacement, we have been taking an alternate route to town since April. It comes to a T right across from a Casey's General Store. If you people don't have Casey's in your neighborhood, you don't know what you're missing. This particular store always gives me the best gas mileage, and it's on the way to and from work. Getting across that road, though, is problematic.

This morning fortune and Even Steven smiled upon us. No traffic in either direction. I darted straight across the business route and into the parking lot. Nobody was at either side of the four gas pumps. I had my pick of that petroleum litter. I pulled up to the farthest one so upon leaving, I could hit a side street and resume my Grandma-bound journey.

There was a yellow OUT OF ORDER plastic bag over the pump handle. I made a skinny U-turn to get to the other side. I pulled to the last pump to get back out on the business route after The Pony paid. There was a yellow OUT OF ORDER plastic bag over the pump handle. I backed T-Hoe to the pump behind me. Like The Duke John Wayne as Marshall Rooster Cogburn, I always go backwards when I'm backin' up.

That wacky Even Steven! So like him to be a Sour Patch Kid. First he's sour, then he's sweet. Gives me a clear route to the pumps, then makes them non-working. He got me! Cheeky monkey! But then he let me pump my gas in peace.

No sooner had I pushed the button for "pay inside" and shoved the nozzle into T-Hoe's flank than a worker in a red Casey's vest walked across the pump island to the store sign. He had a long-handled sucker, which he used to remove the price numbers and LOWER THE GAS BY ONE CENT PER GALLON!

Even Steven, I'm still waiting for some sugar.

2 comments:

Sioux Roslawski said...

The gods giveth and the gods taketh away.

Thankfully, you still have most of the summer splayed in front of you, waiting to be filled...

Hillbilly Mom said...

Sioux,
Yes, my summer needs filling. Like a Hostess Cupcake or Twinkie. Though I daresay the filling I give my summer will not be quite as sweet.