Before heading off to work last night, I happened to catch a little of the 11:00 news. The headlines started off, “Gas station in Louisville is selling gas for $1.00 a gallon tomorrow morning.” With a tight seminary budget and all, I decided to tune in to find out just where that gas station was located. I was informed that the gas indeed was being sold for $1/gal to the first 200 customers, beginning at 7:00 a.m. this morning (hence the late morning post). Usually getting off at work around 4:00 a.m., I restructured my reading plan and hunkered down in the UPS cafeteria with Dr. Wills’ Democratic Religion for a couple of hours (more on that later). I figured that if I got to the gas station 30 minutes prior to the sale, I would have a decent place in line. After all, not many people are up watching the 11:00 p.m. news, right?
Wrong. Dead wrong. Tragically wrong.
As I exited off I-65, I proceeded to the gas station only to find that not only had 200 cars already lined up, I estimated it was at least three miles long with people outside their car conversing as though they had been there overnight. It was absolutely ridiculous! Driving past the long line, I wanted to see if I could get a glimpse of the gas station. After being jammed in traffic several blocks away, I proceeded to make an illegal U-turn and head back home with a lot of laughter and not a lot of gas. I had been thinking, “Man, $15 for a tank of gas (rather than $50 which was my last fill up) would give us an extra $35 in our budget, enough to take my wife on a hot date.” Oh well.
She will still get her hot date. It just might have to be across the street.
So those of you who hear news in your town that gas will be offered for $1 a gallon, take this lesson for me. Everyone wants cheap gas. Not every wants to pay the price for cheap gas. 😉
[Note: While checking my yahoo email, I noticed Yahoo’s home page featuring an article entitled, “Stretch Your Gas Dollars.” What was their first note of advice? Find a bargain. Now isn’t that just apropro?]
It’s so bad I’m staying home more than half the week this week to save on gas rather than working in my office at SBTS as I prefer to do. If TARC ran all the way to the Shelby County line, I’d take it!
Timmy,
I can only imagine the scene. It reminds me of the rush at WalMart on Christmas specials. I’m glad I drive a little silver Korean car with a manual transmission.
You know, I just realized that today is Wednesday, not Tuesday.
And I am not going to change the title because I am stubborn like that.
Rick, my wife and I kind of do the same thing when I am not in school. We try drive only one car for four months out of the year, cutting the cost of gas by some $600 a year. I saw a guy riding hsi bike home from work the other day and I thought, “Man, I would love to be able to do that!”
Tony, I found out through the news tonight that the first person got there at 11:30 p.m. last night. That is just like the day after Thanksgiving shopping!
I used to drive a full-size Toyota Tundra. Those days left when gas passed $2/gal. Now that it has passed $3/gal, I need to make another change. Hybrid maybe? TARC? Bicycle?