After getting denied service at the Mobil station on the corner of Fourth Street N. and Ninth Avenue in St. Pete this morning (the pump told me to "See Attendant" and I don't do that), I drove up the road a few blocks to the Bob Lee Mobil at 1631 Fourth Street N. Though Bob Lee Tires has been in this location since the 1940s, I think the gas station has been recently renovated. In truth, I have a hard time keeping up with all the Fourth Street development these days.
Upon pulling in, I noticed that the rows of pumps were really close together. So close, that only one vehicle would fit between them at any one time. Odd layout, I thought. Despite their close proximity to one another, the pumps were shinny and new, and the gas was cheap by local standards ($3.89 a gallon), so I decided to fill up. I had popped out of my car and was digging in my pocket for my wallet when the heavy-set man in the blue workman shirt that cried out "I work on cars!" spoke up:
"May I help you, sir?"
"Um, no thanks. I'm just getting some gas."
"All our pumps are full serve, sir."
I was flabbergasted. Had I awoken in the 1950s or in New Jersey? And which one would be worse? (I lean modern-day Jersey, myself.) To be honest, I wasn't even sure what to do. Do I just stand here? Do I get back into the car?
This article appears in Jul 23-29, 2008.
