I'm sure this isn't the normal experience one has here on a regular basis, but it's too funny not to share.
Stopped in to get gas for the better half's car only to find that ALL the pumps had the credit card reader covered and a helpful note saying "Pay Inside". In the north growing up you NEVER got to Pump first. Ever. Anywhere. In Tennessee at least in the 90s you could, but as Gas prices have gone up this trend has evaporated here too. So I asked the Better Half if she though I'd be able to pump first. "Probably not". So in I go to pay. Its been a LONG time since I paid inside first. "Fill-up on 5" I said. She punches some numbers "How Much?" Befuddled I said "Twenty Five". As I said it, I realized I was way low-balling, but it had been so long since I answered that question I just stuck with it. She types some numbers and produces a receipt. Instead of $25.00 as I expected it had $0.25. A QUARTER! So I said "You put a quarter!?" to which she said "Oh, well you need to pump first". Out I go to pump first, then.
The pump promptly pumped TWENTY FIVE CENTS WORTH OF GAS! Granted, this is exactly what I had just paid for, but instead of starting the whole process over, I drove a mile down the street to the next Shell and got a full tank of gas. 48 dollars worth. read more