I am having a day today.
One of those days where your thoughts have holes in them for no reason.
I went to pick up Rj from the airport today - so excited he is home ❤❤.
My car was on empty.
I got to the gas station and pulled up to a pump. I completely forgot which side my tank was on... So I drove to a different pump on the other side.
Nope.
I was right the first time.
I had a 4 cent off/litre coupon, so I had to pay inside. So I picked up the nozzle, pressed the grade, and waited for authorization. And waited. And waited.
I placed the nozzle down and then tried again. I looked all around the machine for signage to see if it was a "pay-at-the-pump only" and found nothing, but right beside the screen it still had the sign saying "if you wish to pay inside, lift the nozzle, choose your grade, and fill up".
Assuming a faulty machine, I drove to another pump. I did not wait long after seeing the screen freeze out on the "Authorization..." screen.
I slowly hobbled to the station, a little flustered and in pain, to go prepay inside (which I hate doing).
What I didn't know is that there is now a law that all pumps are pre-pay only... and didn't even find THAT out until we got home. Whoops.
So I get to the till, and I mentioned that maybe the manager should cover the signs that say "if you want to pay inside, lift the nozzle, etc...". She said there was a sticker on the machine that says prepay only... I admitted I did not look hard at the second pump but the first pump did not have it. She said it may not have it... then just shrugged. I said that I obviously did not know, the sign was still there to pay inside afterward, and that she would have clearly seen me waiting and should have told me over the intercom at the pump. That would have been so simple.
Regardless... I was definitely not nice. I was that customer.
I was flustered and embarrassed and although I was kind when I mentioned that perhaps 'they' (I avoided the direct accusation) should get someone to cover the sign, after she became condescending I lost my calm demeanor.
I felt like saying that I was clearly struggling, that this kind of situation is the reason for those intercoms at the pumps, and instead she treated me like I was dirt.
Then I did the same... which I am not proud of.
So I prepaid, went to my car, and left.
I left.
I never prepay, so when I am paying, it's because I have already filled up.
Being flustered, I left.
There was a line of cars behind me (which flusters me even more)... and frankly I just wanted to get the hell out of there and go see my man!
I realized it 2 blocks away that I had left without filling ... after paying.
There was no way I was going back.
So I just relented and took a breath when I realized I may have just paid for someone else's fuel for the day.
Karma for being a jerk customer.
So my worst moment in my day may have turned out to be the best moment of another's.
Then, I drove to the airport. After this bad moment, it took so long that I hit bad rush hour. Good thing it doesn't really bother me to be in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
I got to the airport and missed the exit to park. I was driving past the drop off/pick up zone, then made another wrong turned and went through the "Shuttle/Bus Only" section.
Oops.
I went all the way around, found the parking, and finally parked.
Then, as the cherry on top, the last song I heard on the radio was from an artist I highly dislike... and now the song is in my head.
I'm having a day.
To cater to my mental fogginess and the holes in my thoughts, I am now resting. For the rest of the night.
I probably should have no more contact with other people outside our home today.
'It's too people-y outside'.
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