Gas Stations and Mercury Retrograde

Gas Stations and Mercury Retrograde

My dad used to keep a gas card, his preferred brand, in the ash tray of his little hybrid, his last car. Wasn’t really an ash tray, but it was a drawer for that, and the gas card was left under the spare change tray. While I find that a great idea, in our current environment, I’ve seen one too many cars broken into and ransacked for whatever is left behind. Just too easy of a target, so I can’t abide the practice, not in current climes. Love the idea, though, leaving a gas-only plastic in the vehicle itself.

I had a Diamond Shamrock card for a while, but I cancelled it in a pissing match with customer service. Years later, I wound up with a Valero card, heir apparent to Diamond Shamrock, but located in San Antonio, not Lubbock or Amarillo. I use it as a gas card because it isolates the costs, for better record keeping, and using it at the pump, my account has such a low limit, even if stolen, the card wouldn’t go far.

So in my commute to Austin and back, I’ve gotten used to using Valero. Not the cleanest bathrooms, nor the nicest fountain drinks, but clean enough, and convenient. I like using a single card for just gas, and there was a recent spate of fake card readers that stole account numbers, and my added level of security? Just use the gas card — with the low limit.

To their credit, the issuer has responded quickly, “Were you buying gas in Florida?” Charge was reversed, and the fraud reported. New card. Who cares?

On the way to Austin, I was driving a rent-a-van, moving a single piece of oversized furniture. I kept thinking about Valero just south of Austin as the ideal place to refuel before returning the rental.

Mercury, retrograde, remember?

Set the map to navigate and remind me to exit for that one gas station. Pull in and the pumps are roped off. Sign said, “Store is still open!”

Shrug, laboriously turn around in the rental, and head back towards Austin, thinking about another gas station, closer to the rental drop-off point. Turn the corner, in Austin, remember?

Price Selection

That’s the store next to the rock shop.

There’s a Valero just up the road apiece — not a fur piece. Headed that way, carefully watching overhead for low awnings. It was a tall rental. Pull into the Valero on Cameron Road, and the pumps were roped off that morning.

Two strikes.

Gas Stations and Mercury Retrograde

I can laugh it off, as it is about Mercury being in Retrograde and then some days, it’s not the big deals, just the little deals. I could pay cash or use another card, but I try isolate the gas purchases on that one account to make it easier — and safer.

Kind of a first world sort of problem, and not a major irritant, but riding passenger?

“I don’t (something) believe it!”

Shrug. Mercury is retrograde, what are you going o do?

Believe it. Goals will be thwarted, especially confident and easy goals.