Too Much Gas

Actual dialogue I had engaged in with 2 strangers yesterday:
Me: “Fuck you! And Fuck You!”
Other guy: “Fuck you, you trash!”
Me: “Fuck you, you fuckin theif!”
Him: “Mother fucker!”
Me: “You’re a fuckin idiot!”

Not proud of it, but I think I was justified. It was just a routine trip to the gas station, but I got screwed, and the non-cha leant attitude I received devolved me into an obscenity screaming lunatic. My Brooklyn, Italian ancestors would be proud at least, but I’m not sure I am. I’d like to present the situation here for review. Please feel free to call me an asshole if you feel it’s warranted, but back it up if you must. Anyway, here goes:

I pull into the gas station after work. A droopy eyed young male attendant comes to my window. I say clearly, “$20 regular please.” He grunts his understanding as I hand him my debit card.

He puts the nozzle in. (In Jersey you’re not allowed to pump your own. Usually this is great.) He walks away to service other cars. I wait and browse my podcasts. A minute goes by, and I turn around to see if It’s done. I rub my eyes as I think I see the counter go from $29 to $30. I take a beat, assess, and now I’m sure. This dude f’d up. I honk my horn to get his attention. I point at the pump.

“Hey, I said twenty.”

He stops the pump, and looks in at me as I say in a loud agitated voice, “I said twenty. I’m not paying for that.” The price had gone to $31.68.

He tells me to wait, turns around, runs my card and gives me a receipt for $31.68. Then he asks me in a non-cha leant Eastern European accent.,

“So what we gonna do?”.
“Whaaaaaat? You’re gonna refund me $11.68!”
“Can’t”
“Whaddya mean can’t!? I said $20. You over-charged me.”
“You have gas.”
“You gave me extra I didn’t ask for!”

He asks me to stop yelling. I ask where his boss is. He points to a skinny looking guy in sixties getting in a car across the lot. I first have to ask Mr. What we gonna do to step back so I don’t run over his foot. I drive over to the boss, take a deep breath and say calmly out the window, “Excuse me are you the boss?” He nods surprisedly. “I need to talk to you”.” I continue. I step out of the car and walk over trying to convey an attitude of seriousness without being at all threatening. The attendant has made his way over.

“Your employee over-charged me. I need a refund.”
Bossman is non-plussed.
I clarify, “I asked for $20 regular. He charged me $31.68.”
Droopy face chimes in, “I thought you say fill it.”
“I said $20!” I’m starting to get agitated again.
Boss in a Middle Eastern Accent: “You have the gas.”
“I didn’t want it. I asked for $20. He gave me $31.68. Give me a refund!”
“Take out gas.”

At that comment I went from highly agitated to fucking pissed off.

Pointing in his face, “You’re the gas guy! You fucking take it out!”
Now he tries to spin it. “You drive tommorow, next day. You use gas anyway.”
“This is insane! You’re stealing from me! Give me my $11.68 back!”

The next few exchanges are about how does he know that I’m not just lying and how it’s not possible to give me a refund. I reply that he’s insane to think anyone would conjure up a stupid fight like this. I also embarrassedly refer to my twenty years of retail experience, and make a cash registery gesture with my hand as proof that it’s very easy to refund a customer when you fuck up. He disagrees. I decide it’s a losing battle and it’s time to exchange fucks (refer to the top of the post). I’m screaming first as I walk to my car, then from the window as I drive off.

So, I am glad that I stood up for myself, but disappointed that I let these a-holes get to me. I haven’t had a confrontation like this in years, and that last one was a put on to impress a girl. So, the whole thing took me by surprise. And, it wasn’t the amount of money. It’s that these guys thought it was ok to force me into a sale I didn’t agree to, and when called on it they couldn’t give two shits, or do the right thing. I guess I’m sick of being shit on by outside entities. I mean, even the cable company refunds you if you call them out for charging you for channels you didn’t ask for. The god damn mother fuckin evil cable company has better morals than these guys! Ahhhhhh!

So, what do you think. Was I wrong? Over the top, maybe? Help me sort though this, cause I can’t afford therapy. Not that I need it….. Ahh, damnit, I’m droning. So what’s up Pressers? How’d I do?

– https://poorlythoughtoutthoughts.wordpress.com