My Contribution to the Gas Crisis

So I assume you know about the gas shortage around the Southeast; if you're not in a city experiencing it, it's pretty crazy. I foolishly let my car get down to an eighth of a tank and started to get genuinely concerned when I drove around for 20-30 minutes one evening unable to find a gas station with gas. I gave up and decided to wait for morning. And that's nothing compared to the stories you hear on the news: waiting for an hour in line only to find that the station has run out of gas before you get to a pump or driving around for an hour looking for gas and then running out before finding any, sheesh.

So it's pretty bad, right? The next morning, I saw that the Walmart on my way to work did have gas, thank the Lord, so I waited my turn for about 20 minutes--not bad at all. I get my gas, and as I walk to my car door, I look at my wallet in my hand and think to myself, "Something doesn't feel right about this...

"Where are my KEYS?!" That's right folks, with my car at the pump, and an at least 20-minute long line of cars waiting, I had locked my keys in my car. Awesome.

Hm, what to do. I went to the station attendant and asked him if he knew how to break into a car. His response? "Do you have a coat hanger?" Um... Well, yes! I don't have my keys or my purse or my cell phone, but I have a coat hanger here in my pocket! Not helpful, ha.

The people all around my car were super nice and helpful, though. These two Mexican men were trying to push down my windows to get in--unsuccessfully, but they were sweet. Then a woman lent me her phone so I could call triple A; I was wary of going that route 'cause they can take awhile sometimes. They actually only took 20-30 minutes though, and I'm wondering if it was because they knew I was blocking a pump!

I felt bad though; what a ridiculous time and place to lock your keys in your car.

It was encouraging to see how the people around me responded to my idiocy though. They were kind and sympathetic and helpful. It's interesting to think of how distance affects how we respond to others. I would guess that those still waiting in line may have had less charitable responses toward me. Granted they also had not been able to get their gas yet, while these kind people had, ha.

Anyway, that's my story, and I hope you enjoyed it, heh.