~Honore de Balzac
…I swear I have guardian angels that watch over me. I say that in the plural sense as there is no way only one of them would have the time or patience to minister to my misadventures.
And they must have done something pretty bad in heaven to have the luck to be stuck with me.
Today, on my way home from work, I notice I needed gasoline. It might have been the low fuel light that was the dead giveaway. You know – the little yellow light that starts blinking and dinging and scares you half to death because you can actually hear it over your music that is blaring ever so loudly. The one that means you better get gas – NOW – or else you be walkin’ home. Or worse, have to call your husband and explain why you ran out of gas. 😯 Not a happy thought.
I reached the next intersection and with a big sigh of relief, there was a Chevron station of which I had a gas card. Not that I minded paying cash, but it was dark and not the best part of town so I wanted to jump out, grab some fuel and get out of there. Better to pay at the pump instead of having to walk inside to pay the cashier.
I have bought gas many, many times in my life. And I know how to use a credit card to pay at the pump.
But for some odd reason, when I slipped the card through the little card slot – nothing happened.
Tried again. And a third time.
Nada. Zip.
Now by this time, it is really getting dark and I am alone out there by the pumps with no other cars around. And I figure the bars on the windows and doors of the station must be relevant in a pretty scary way.
So with a quick prayer, I tried one more time and the words ‘Thank you!’ appeared on the little screen.
Thinking I’m good, I proceeded to gas up. No problem, it worked fine.
A full tank later, I put the gas cap back on, hopped back into the Tahoe, and started the ignition.
Before I could put it into drive, a nagging little voice told me to go inside.
Why would I do that? I wondered.
I put the car in gear and edged away from the pumps.
But the little voice kept right on nagging and got louder and louder.
I stopped, thought about it for a moment, and then when the voice was demanding I go inside, I gave up and went.
And the cashier was in the process of calling the police. He said, in broken English, that he thought I was trying to make off without paying.
Me? I have never stolen anything in my life.
He then proceeds to tell me that the card slot on pump is broken. And there wasn’t a sign/note/explanation on it because…?
I decided it wasn’t worth the argument, I just explained that I was just moving the vehicle closer to the station, paid the bill and got the heck out of there.
Must have been my guardian angels on duty tonight again shouting in my head. One day they are going to petition for someone else to take care of, I just know it.
