Gas Controversy by Alison Quiring

from Legacy 2010

The End

Gas Controversy

by Alison Quiring

Cars packed the Walmart gas station as I pulled in. I drove back around the pumps, looking for a place to get in line. I saw a pump with only one car, but just before I could pull into that line, a huge white van zoomed in front of me, getting in position before I could. Oh well, I thought. That’s what you get for coming here on a Friday afternoon. I got in line behind the white van, put my Accord into park, and got busy people-watching out my open window until my turn. Less than a minute later, the car filling up with gas pulled out of the gas station and the van moved up. This isn’t so bad, I reassured myself. I’ll be out of here soon.

Just then a young man with an annoyed wrinkle on his forehead walked up to an older bearded man just stepping out of the van. “Excuse me, sir. I was waiting up there in front of that car to back in to this line and fill up with gas,” the young man said, trying hard to be polite despite the obvious annoyance he was feeling. “Would you mind backing up, please, so I can take my turn? I’ve been waiting here a long time.” I immediately shifted my car into reverse and backed up so that the van would be able to back up as well. The young man returned to his car.

“Sir, SIR!” I looked up to see the young man turned and strode back toward the white van. “I thought I told you to back up. I’m not sure if you heard me right, but you need to back up and let me in next.” The old man, who I decided looked considerably like Moses (at least the Moses I saw in the pictures in Bible story books) because of his long flowing beard spat out, “Oh I heard you alright but I ain’t gonna back up. Too bad if you were going to back up. I’m here now and I’m going to get my gas.” Moses stepped forward and grasped the gas nozzle, pulling it from the pump with a violent twist. “What do you think you’re doing!” shouted Mr. Follow-the-Rules. “Get in your van and back up or I’m going to call the cops on you.” Moses didn’t get back in his van or back up. He simply ignored Follow-the-Rules and started pumping gas. I realized I wasn’t going to be able to get gas from that pump for awhile so I moved into another line and then tuned back in to the drama unfolding outside my window.

In another minute Follow-the-Rules had tattled to the lady at the pay window. She blazed out of her booth. “What do you think you’re doing?” the lady shouted at Moses, who by now had to be close to filling up his tank. “You stop pumping gas this instant. It was his turn first and you’re totally out of line.” I stared out my window so intently that I almost didn’t see the car in front of me move up to the pump. I moved my car ahead at a snail’s speech, still watching the scene just two gas pumps over. Moses responded to In-Charge lady in a growl that I couldn’t decipher. “The cops are on their way here so you just don’t go anywhere until they get here,” In-Charge flung at Moses as she flounced back to her post. A collegeaged girl who had just finished pumping gas in the line beside mine declared in a drawl to Follow-the-Rules, “I’ll be your witness when the cops arrive. I’m just going to pull into a parking spot, but I’ll back you up.” She continued, “It’s ridiculous how he’s acting. What’s wrong with people these days?” Miss Back-Up hopped in her car, pulled around my line, and parked before getting out of her car to talk to Follow-the-Rules.

The car in front of me left and I drove up, pre-paid for gas, and started pumping, listening to Follow-the-Rules and Back-Up’s conspire together. Moses, now finished gassing up, but hemmed in between the Follow-the-Rules’ car and one behind him, walked to the passenger window to grumble and swear to his wife. Sirens screeched in the distance and, by the time my tank was full, four cop cars had overtaken the gas station. “What seems to be the problem?” one cop asked as he swaggered towards Moses. I wondered how he knew who the culprit was. Follow-the-Rules and Back-Up burst out in a tirade of anger at Moses. Although I tried to think of anything else I could do at the gas station to stick around and watch the drama intensify, my mind was blank and I dutifully climbed back into my car and slowly drove off, keeping my ear close to the open window as long as I was able to hear the angry voices shouting back and forth. Wow, I thought. All that over issues that elementary kids learn to deal with: line-budging and sharing. Some people should learn how to grow up. Other should learn to let some things slide once in awhile.