You’re not allowed to pump your own gas
Some things never change. Even when they are ridiculous.
Back when I was a lad growing up in Iowa, I remember how my Dad would pull into a Texaco gas station and tell the attendant, “Fill er up, regular and check the oil please.”
Not only did the worker do as he was told, but he would wash the windows, too.
I visited the state of Oregon for the first time in the summer of 1983. Went to Ashland every August for six years to work a 14-day intensive wrestling camp. I remember the hot afternoons that hit almost 100° and the cool nights where it dropped into the 50’s.
And I remember pulling up to the Chevron gas station and assuming when I got out, I could grab the handle to begin doing what I do everywhere else: pumping my own gas.
Hold on there big guy, I would hear from the attendant, who politely informed me of the laws of the state. Customers are not allowed to pump their own gas in the state of Oregon.
This law was ridiculous in 1983. And it’s still ridiculous today.
But there are two good things about it.
The first is that someone still has a job that hasn’t been taken over by robots, kiosks or AI.
The second is that when I pulled up this morning, and the attendant approached, I heard myself saying, “Fillerup, regular.“
This reminded of my father, and how he used to say the same thing.
Simple childhood memories live on inside of us.
More to follow as I fly back to Montana to create another product as I travel from place to place.
Matt Furey
MattFurey.com