As the Station Turns 10/21

 When I got to work I discovered that I had forgot my Dr Pepper, I can buy a 6-pack at the store for the same price of two bottles at work so I bring my own. As I was running to the cooler to grab one, (Cherry Dr Pepper by the way, if I was going to have to buy one I might as well buy the best one) I noticed that one of the trash cans didn't have a trash bag in it, the Manager must have gotten distracted. So instead I ran behind the counter and grabbed one before the crowd showed up and filled up the can itself. When I got outside I spotted the half full trash bag on the side of the building where the Manager left it. So now I had to haul that around to the dumpster as cars were showing up on the lot. Nothing like starting your day at a dead run. And a half hour later I got my Cherry Dr Pepper.

Another guy came in to ask about my Bad Hawg (my electric trike). We went through the usual, how much did it cost? How long did the battery last? He asked if they had a fat wheel version and I told him yes but since I was riding on paved roads I didn't get that one. Dear Monocool, can I get an endorsement deal?

Good news, the Haunted Station is officially open. They don't have any stock on their shelves but they are getting some traffic. This means the new schedule is in effect so for a couple of days a week I'll be over there and the people from the graveyard shift will be covering a couple of afternoons. I love this because they are always complaining about the work I can't get done. Let them get a taste of what it's like to work a busy shift solo. I'd say it would shut them up but I know better.

The pumps are all mostly working. There are still the little quirks and pump #9 doesn't like debit cards but other than that for the first time in a long time we have 12 functional pumps. I wonder how long this will last.

A woman came in and told me she saw a thing on YouTube that soon all cash will be outlawed and everything will be done electronically. And you wonder who the people who vote for trump are. 

Since the Haunted Station is open I wasn't getting tag teamers, people were going across the street so I had time to do side work today. I got out the duster and gave the place a good once over. The best part was the Boss showed up early and caught me. He was saying he wished he had more employees that just did the job. I was laughing because I good off when I can but mostly I'm bored so I figure out something to make the time go by faster and get away from the register. He told me the Crazy Lady is already complaining about having to work the afternoon shift on Monday. Just wait, it's the "tourists heading home" day so you get a lot of small bills and they clean out their cars into the trash cans. I do two trash runs on Mondays and drop a lot of ones and fives in the safe. Plus the Manager is busy with paperwork and ordering so she cant get to the ice, you have to do bags and the soda machine hoppers and they are empty. I won't even mention the condition of the restrooms. She's gonna love it.

I really appreciated the Haunted Station being open when I went to do the ice. I filled up the bags and the soda machine hoppers uninterrupted. And when I looked out I could see a crowd across the street. This is working out well.

I went out to check the trash, there was enough to do a quick dump, including the restrooms. And I got it all done without being swarmed again. The funny part was when I went inside I discovered that I was two hour ahead of schedule. Did I mention that I love that the Haunted Station is open again? And then I got swarmed but I didn't care because I didn't have any pressing work to do.

A guy was trying on the hats and I couldn't help but think of the story of the two sorority girls who took a fun trip to Juarez. They were trying on hats and having a great time, until the next day when they discovered they picked up lice. I won't try on hats in stores and if I buy one it's the one wrapped in plastic. But that's just me.

A driver came in with a fleet card and I went through the usual questions about was he authorized to fill up here and did he have a limit. He said the card had no restrictions so I turned on the pump. He came in to pay and sure enough, he had exceeded his limit so he had to call his boss and get authorized to pay for the fuel, this happens all the time. Thankfully, again, the Haunted Station is open and I didn't have a line of people waiting for me to finish the transaction.

A family came in to use the restrooms. The mother finished up and went outside. I could hear her shouting for her son, who was still in the restroom. When he came out he was wandering around the store looking for his mother. Eventually they got together. It made me laugh. 

A guy was complaining about having to come inside and eventually ending up buying stuff, as if we had somehow tricked him. Here's the catch, he didn't need anything at the register, he didn't go to the restroom. There was no reason for him to come inside, he did that by choice.

Another guy came in to complain. He saw a video that said the average cost of producing energy drinks was 4¢ and they marked it up to $4. Ummm.... I didn't go into an economic discussion about the cost of the ingredients and the trasnportation to the factory. The cost of producing the cans, the salaries of the people who worked for the company, the transportation costs of shipping it all over the country and of course the store's markup so they could pay salaries and keep the doors open. Here's the thing, internet videos leave out a lot of detail, or just make stuff up. Again, this is how people like trump get elected.

A guy came in looking for household light bulbs. Dude, we're a tourist stop where people get gas, snacks and poop. We're not a store. You want lightbulbs go down the road to the dollar store.

Early in my shift I had a Goth couple. They were recognizable because the guy was dressed like a Victorian vampire and the woman was decked out in black and purple lace, with matching hair. Imagine my surprised when they came back just before shift change. I've seen people twice in the same day but usually when I'm working a double. I wonder where they went and why but it wasn't my business.

My last customer of the night was angry, he had gotten $100 in fuel but his card had put a $900 hold on his account. I hate this because I have to go through the whole process of explaining to them that the card's computer does that as an anti fraud thing and if the card is used again for a big purchase within the hour it would trigger an automatic hold. I told him it would clear off and if it didn't give them a call. He gave me the evil eye as if I stole the money personally and left. Hey credit card companies, come up with a better system. 

I got my usual 9 PM rush but it wasn't bad. I was prepared for when the Crazy Lady showed up and got out of my drawer fast but for some reason she was in a good mood tonight and was taking about something, I don't remember what. Perhaps she someone getting arrested or something. I didn't care, I was heading out the door regardless. I'm still looking forward to how her first Monday afternoon shift goes. And it's not even a holiday, those are 10 times worse.