6 Cents

I had to get gas this morning. $3.16 a gallon, the sign said. I swallowed hard, bit my tongue, and pulled in to the station.

I was so bothered by the fact that the price had gone up almost 20 cents a gallon overnight that I forgot to put my credit card into the pay-at-the-pump machine before I grabbed the nozzle. I immediately put it back on the pump, and hit cancel to begin my transaction again, as you have to pay inside if you don't insert your card first. I almost stuck my card into the slot, when I noticed the pump showed $.06 in charges. I only removed the nozzle from the pump, and it charged me 6 cents! That's insane!

After getting the gas with my card, I went inside to settle the 6 cent deal. I told the lady I had only removed the nozzle from the pump, and it charged me. She didn't really seem to understand what I was saying. I told her I used my credit card to get my gas, but I didn't get any gas for the 6 cents.

I'm afraid the current gas pumps we use are engineered for gas prices of around a dollar a gallon. They aren't accurate with the exorbitant prices we're being charged these days. I know the state certifies them, but they apparently don't do a good enough job. Over a nickle for removing the nozzle from the pump is nuts.