Oil Conspiracy

As if rising costs in gas prices aren't enough to endure, I have to endure the unintelligent individuals hired by the gas stations.

Two weeks ago, while on appointment to a clients place of business, I stopped in to fill up at the local 7-11. I pulled up, swiped my credit card and began to pump gas. After only 9 gallons out of the 13 it should have taken to fill up, the pump shuts off. Confused, I began to assess the situation. The pump says "Please See Attendant" Now concerned that my card was declined, I head in and am met by the attendant who is apologizing from the word go.

She told me that at the same time I pulled in, another customer pulled in, but prepaid for $20 of gas inside. The apologetic attendant credited the $20 toward my pump and not theirs. After almost 20 minutes of trying to get this problem solved, and the manager doing everything but writing new code for the cash register program I finally was charged my $19.78 and drove off.

Not a big deal. Kind of interesting to watch the process at the gas station. I wasn't in a hurry and they were trying to be as nice as possible. I chalked it up to the rigorous mental demands placed on a gas station attendant.

Today, I go to fill up at another gas station on the other side of town. I get to $9.72 and the pump shuts off and the voice over the speaker says, "Can you come in please?"

I walk in and discover that the genius at the 7-11 on the south side of town has an equally challenged counterpart at the Shell station in mid-town. She took $10 from the guy who pulled up next to me and prepaid and stuck it on my pump. So I had to sit and wait while she tried to calculate by counting on her fingers how much money she should charge me.

Once, okay it's an accident. Twice and I'm wondering if it's a conspiracy. The truth is out there.