Friday, April 29, 2005

Looking for Petrol, Darling

This searching for cheap gas can easily become an obsession, especially in our current torn-from-naiveté world of the upward spiral. Lucy's always had the tic, but now, I'm getting it worse, too. I left the house, this morn and took a minute before walking out the door checked prices like some people check the weather. It's getting like that, is all I'm sayin…

So on a nearly bone-dry tank, I headed over to the reputed loss leader this shady BP station across town, and as I crested the hill—can it be true?— yes! $2.07 in a $2.24 market! As I pulled up, something wasn't right. I thought there was a line, but it turned out there was an unmarked cruiser blocking the entrance. And scattered here and there, a half a dozen other cop cars. Nobody in sight. No other cars. Huh?

I couldn't stand it.

I pulled in this back way and rolled up to the island. As I opened the door, a cop walked out and—with no condescension—said: "Sorry, they're not open right now." I'm thinkin' What? Are they in trouble for selling gas too cheap? II called after him, "Um, so what's going on?" I'm always reluctant to ask this of cops, for the chance that they'll get pissy about it, but I couldn't resist. He looked over his shoulder and tossed back: "There's an investigation under way." Damn, that's all I got!"

But still, isn't that weird?

Even weirder, I was bummed because I wasn't going to score the cheap gas and as I pulled out, I looked across the way to this Citgo, tucked off the main road. $2.07!

So I filled 'er up over there, where it was fairly bustling. I kept wanting to query my fellow gassers.... cheap-gas.com? cheap-gas.com.

Feels like a secret...

5 comments:

Lori-Lyn said...

Maybe you were at one of those places that got busted for selling "crack kits." Maybe they were using their crack kit sales to enable cheap gas prices.

Ron Pen said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Ron Pen said...

I am starting to look upon this as sport....who is the keeper of the cheapgasprize??? There appears to be an unheard signal that sets all the stations across town raising the prices...a silent accord that unites all gas stations, and suddenly every gallon is 20 cents more expensive....Except, there are always a few tardy places, whose deliciously dilatory ways provide a delightful fill up at retro prices. There are a few BP stations that always seem to be a little ornery and stubborn about raising the rates, but perhaps they are just retarded or maybe they are trying to be customer friendly, or perhaps it is a savvy marketing ploy, or perhaps they are, as Lori-Lyn suggested, buttressing their losses with crack kits. Ah, the fossil fuel game. I need to buy a Prius.

Anonymous said...

cheap gas, eh? try eating cold, left-over curry... that'll get ya the cheapest gas on the market, micky!

-percy

Anonymous said...

I hope I never have to own a car again (unless it's Prius, or better). I rent a car a few times a year (or less) when I really need one.

I advise:
* Move to a big city & sell yrr car.
* Kick the fedgov's collective ass til they reinstate a viable passenger rail system (we already have the infrastructure). When my Grandparents were kids, they used to take the train to school & back every day in West Virginia.
* Get a decent bike & get busy. I know people here in NYC who bike it 100's of miles a week in all weather.

JT