That Sneaky Little 9

   FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH


My good friend "Weather Bob" got my
attention yesterday when he posted a
photo from an area gas station selling
a gallon of regular for $2.94 cents!
  Truth be told, however, that's really
closer to $2.95 because of that sneaky
little "9".
   You know. It's that 9/10 of a cent
that finds its way onto all of those gas
price listings. And it's always posted
in little numerals!
    In Hazleton, back in the day, we had
one clever station operator who had a
big sign near his gas prices. It read.....
"No sneaky little 9."
   Of course his prices had a sneaky little
10 as he rounded them off to the next highest
cent!
    As a guy who does a lot of driving
it's great to see gasoline prices coming
down.
   It's still amazing to see how widely
they vary from station to station and
State to State.
   In Belleville, New Jersey yesterday
you could buy a gallon of regular for
$2.45 cents. Plus the sneaky little 9.
And they'd pump it for you!
   Prices around here, of course, also
include that recently imposed 28 cent
a gallon "fee." Thankfully it's not a
"tax." I'd hate to have to pay it if it
were a tax.
   I found a really cool station on one
of my recent drives. The price for
regular was listed at 33 cents a
gallon, tax included!
   Unfortunately there was a sneaky
little 9.....and....the place has been
closed for 20 or 30 years!
   I wonder if they'll reopen?
  Maybe I should wait! Just in case.
  Hope you're all filled up and that
all of your NEWS is good!