Returning from a wonderful choir concert, Michaelyn and I passed our favorite local gas station/convenience store. We’ve bonded with this place for several reasons, the most important of which is its sign out front. The sign bears the name of the establishment (“Hoagies”), a philanthropic greeting to the masses of motorists that pass by, its fare du jour, and the price of that fare. Today the sign read “Drive Safe Corn dogs 49 cents”. Other days the sign admonishes Pizza Stix to Drive Safe. Or it worries about the vehicular safety of Burritos (79 cents). In the summer, it is preoccupied with Frazil hazards, and more expensive about it too (somewhere over a dollar). One day last spring Maurya and I were beyond entertained to read “Drive Safe corndogs 49 cents”, just as a man pulling out of the gas station casually turned his face towards us and stuffed an entire corn dog in his mouth.
Last summer, the back of the sign bore a promise that one could obtain a free gal of gas… I can’t remember exactly how; there was some system involving a ten cent credit and a card, but I will not forget the promised gal of gas. Happy the customer who met the necessary requirements and received for his efforts a gal with atmosphere.
