The gas situation seems to be getting better. Earlier this week Quick Trip (QT) vowed to has gas at 100% of its stations by Tuesday, and it looks like that kept that promise. Gas is flowing much better in Atlanta now. Stations that were without has for the longest time now have open pumps. Things are starting to get better, and it’s about time.
Last weekend was pretty rough for motorists. The Georgia vs. Alabama game was Saturday, and hundreds flocked to Athens for the festivities. Out-of-towners were warned not to come to Georgia if they lived more than half a gas tank away because gas was scarce. Law enforcement in the Athens area said that they would be towing cars out of gas to make sure that the street remained clear of obstructions.
So amid the activity going on that weekend, I went to Wal-Mart with my uncle to pick up a prescription. He said that he needed to get gas, and I knew that that particular Wal-Mart had gas earlier that afternoon. So about halfway to the Wal-Mart we run out of gas. I was a little shocked, its been a very long time since I’ve been stuck on the side of the road with no gas. I knew that there was a CitGo gas station about a mile ahead. So my uncle decided to go for gas. On his way to the station, a man in a pick-up truck saw the car the car on the side of the road out of gas and my uncle walking and decided to give him a lift. The man happened to have two gas cans in his truck of gas and offered to give us enough to make it to the gas station. The man just happened to be headed to put gas in his work truck as well.
The man followed us to the Wal-Mart, and my uncle told him he would re-fill the gas can. So when we get to Wal-Mart there is a line of about 20 cars on each side of the station. It took us about 20 minutes or so to get to the front of the line. We finally became the third car waiting to pull up to a pump, when a man in a car speeds around every one in line and pulls behind a car about to pull away from the pump. I was in total disbelief. This guy couldn’t help but see a long line of people waiting their turn for gas. Was surprised me even more was that the guy that would have been next in line, didn’t really budge. The women in the car ahead of us got out of the car to confront the line breaker. She went over to the guy, and asked him “what did he think he was doing”, but she used some language that I would rather not repeat. He muttered something like he was out of gas, and needed it now. They started arguing at the pump. There was a man riding in the car with the woman, he went inside and told the cashier what happened. The cashier came out and asked the man to leave the pump and wait in line like everyone else or they would be forced to call the police. The man acted like his need for gas was far greater than everyone else’s need. The police were called and made the man leave. We got our gas. Amazingly the man that lent us gas to make it to the station refused us paying him back. He wouldn’t let us give him money or allow us to fill his gas can back up. That was really generous of him. I know that his kindness will be rewarded 10 fold down the line.
This incident reminded me that people are just people. Situations bring out the very best in some people and also bring out the worst in others. During this whole gas shortage I’ve seen people act aggressive trying to get gas, be very generous and helpful, and just outright mean. Life is just too short to bicker and argue especially over gasoline.
