Going home, running home
Down to Gasoline Alley where I started from
Going home, and I'm running home
down to Gasoline Alley where I was born
Rod Stewart 1970
I tend to leave filling my gas tank 'til the last minute.
Val never let's hers get below quarter full and Harvey apparently starts looking for gas when his needle shows half full.
If the 'low fuel' warning light comes on, Val's worry beads start rattling.
None of us however, like to pay over the odds for gas.
The other day, on our way to another expedition, we passed a sign, pointing up a side road where gas was being sold at $3.10 which is a great price around these parts. As we still had over half a tank left I disappointed everyone by spurning the offer, stating that we could fill up on the way back.
Of course, we came back a different way and missed the chance.
Everywhere we went after that the fuel got dearer and dearer.
Oh dear, dear, dear!
Finally we spotted some last night at $3.15 BUT
1. It was on the opposite side of the road
2. The road was very busy
3. I still had over a quarter tank full
4. It was next door to the Flea Market we're visiting on Saturday
so I decided to leave it 'til Saturday to fill up, thinking that we had a light day today and Friday would be spent on the trolley system.
As it transpired, the quick trip over to Coronado Beach turned into a marathon that reached nearly to Mexico.
As the gas needle dropped lower and lower, my cheeks clenched tighter and tighter.
I could feel the unspoken brickbats starting to build against me
Suddenly.
Harvey hollered.
I swung quickly to the right and pulled up against a pump selling gas at $2.999.
Redemption!
Boy was I relieved.
'Never again' I said under my breath but I know I will. It's what I do.
One day I really will run out of gas and Val won't say a thing.
Not a word will come from that sweet little 'I told you so' face.
And I'll fully deserve it.
But not yet.
I'm still hanging in there.
Just.
BTW Mr Bob. It's in Chula Vista, in case you want to change your allegiance.
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4 comments:
What fun this entry was! (at your expense, perhaps) It's so true that we all have our level at which we start to shop for gas. Bob's been known to run on just the fumes a couple of times and your reference to Val's "worry beads rattling" is such an apt description.
"Not a word will come from that sweet little 'I told you so' face." So, so, so good, Rob. Your writing sparkles.
I concur with Jane, this made for a marvelous read!
I keep wondering how much my tank holds.... at least 20 gallons!.... It took almost that much on my last fill up, so Val's beads would have been vibrating!
STOP PRESS
We saw gas at $2.799 today in El Cajon but the trolley driver wasn't interested in going off the rails to top up.;-)
7 years later and you're still leaving the gas tank to run out before attempting to fill up - you'd think you'd have learned :-)
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