The Gas Chamber

    They don't use the Gas Chamber for executions
anymore. But it's still killing me!
    In my case the gas chamber is actually a tank
that's mounted on the underside of my car. You
fill it with gasoline to fuel my vehicle's engine.
    Well, you used to "fill" it. You may not be
able to afford to do that these days.
    I had to stop for gas yesterday.
    The first station I passed was selling a gallon
of Regular for $3.75. It's a good thing I didn't
pull in!
     Less than 200 yards away, on the same street,
another gas station was offering the same gallon
for $3.59. It's still no bargain compared to prices
just two or three week ago. But it was nice to save
16 cents a gallon by coasting another 200 yards!
     I had been fooled the week before by falling
for what seemed like a real bargain price on one
station's price board. It turned out the posted
price was for "Cash Only!"  The credit price
was about a dime higher!
     As of yesterday prices in the Wilkes-Barre/
Scranton area ranged from a low of about $3.57
to a high around $3.85!
     I'm old enough to remember the "Gas Wars"
back in my home town. Boy it would be so great
to see those five dollar a tank fill ups these days!
     And that was back when we still had "Service
stations." You'd get your gas and the attendant
would clean your windshield and check your oil.
You didn't even have to ask!
     "Service" now is the hope your receipt will
print out once you've filled your tank.
     The latest trend I've noticed is the propensity
of some stations to let the paper run out in their
gas pump receipt dispenser. That way you have
to go inside to get your receipt. Since most
of the stations are also convenience stores these
days they're banking on the chance they can get
you to buy something else while you're there to
pick up your paperwork!
      Maybe we should bring the Gas Chamber
back....because today's gas prices are MURDER!
      Hope you're getting good mileage and that
all your NEWS is good!