Story Tuesday…Albert at the Gas Station

Albert swiped his card through the reader and pushed the button for eight-nine octane gas.  The pump’s LED told him to “begin fueling.”  Gas pumps never spoke out loud.  It’s as though they felt self-conscious about their current prices.  “Or perhaps they were just smug,” Albert thought to himself.

“You don’t need to put in the eighty-nine octane,” Albert’s credit card announced as he placed it back in his pocket.

“It makes the engine run smoother,” Albert replied as he began to pump fuel into the car.

“There’s nothing to prove that,” replied the credit card.  Albert turned toward the gas pump, waiting to see if it would say anything.  The pump continued to count off the gallons and price on its cold, digital screen.  Albert felt obligated to respond in its place.

“I read it in an article once.”

“Where?  Exxon magazine?”

“Do you always have to be so critical?” Albert asked.

“Not necessarily.  It’s just more fun.  And I’m just trying to save you a few bucks.”

“I don’t need to save a few bucks.  I’m doing fine.”

“You know what they say about a rainy day…”

“No,” replied Albert.  “What do they say?”

“They say…” the credit card paused for a moment.  “Well they say a lot of things…all bad about rainy days.  I read it in a magazine.”

“I thought so,” said Albert.  He finished pumping and got back into the car.

“Good for you, Albert.  I am a precision automobile featuring centuries of German engineering.  A little higher octane can’t hurt my performance”

A smile briefly crossed Albert’s face before he asked: “But it doesn’t help.”

“Niene.  That is German for “no.”

“Yes.  I read that in a magazine once.”

~ by Dominic Villari on September 29, 2009.