[Bryan K]

With all the miles we put on our cars to get us to the TH's, I'm betting there are some good stories out there from those gas stations in and around this state that we live in. So the Chevron at Snoq Pass has this guy that I always see on Monday's when I stop in. He is a scary looking guy, always has about 4 days of growth on his face and has at least one gold tooth. This guy gives me the creeps everytime I see him

[Toonces]

[joker]

We pulled into that Chevron with a busted engine one bad July 4th weekend years ago, and had to wait a few hours while the tow truck came from Seattle to haul the car back to the dealership (all under warranty ). At any rate, that gave me time to observe a bit. That place was like an emergency room for cars, with overheated engines galore. They wouldn't give out any free water either - they were making good $$ from charging for fluid to refill the ol' radiator. It was quite an intriguing scene, complete with people trying to "steal" water from the bathrooms, people complaining loudly, etc.

[touron]

When I was little, on a return trip from Montana, about 60 miles or so out of Seattle, our station wagon was acting up. In fact it would backfire any time we were going up a hill...bang....bang....bang. My 5 year old brother kept yelling "Wild horsemen are chasing us." We really weren't sure if we were going to make it to Seattle. We pulled into some gas station in Washington (name witheld to protect the innocent), and the car made a final backfire as my Dad pulled to a stop. I don't know what time it was, but it was dark. A service station attendent came out the station and approached our car. Just then, a guy leans out from the 2nd story window of the place and yells, "Don't help them!" Well that was that. The attendant went back inside. We did make it home, but we held our breaths the whole way.

[l]

Really not a gas station story, but one is involved. Driving back from Denver to Chicago one forgettable June, my radiator overheated on the interstate. I was able to roll within 1/4 mile of a rest area before the thing erupted like a geyser. After walking up to a phone booth and calling for service, I returned to find a state trooper parked behind my vehicle. This guy was straight out of central casting. Tall, jut-jawed with mirror sun glasses and a disposition somewhere between curious and suspicious. And that sergeant's hat. Could it hang any lower over his eyes without blinding him? I was already bummed from a failed attempt at working for a dude ranch (don't ask) and was really put out by the third degree I was getting. For some reason the trooper didn't believe my story and asked to look in the trunk. I assented and he proceeded to pull out everything I had packed and then peeked in the wheel well. The tow truck arrived by then but it had two guys in the vehicle. Before hitching the car they insisted on running my credit card which they called into the home office. The trooper offered to drive me to the station. We arrived in about 15 minutes and hardly a word passed between us. I thanked him for the ride, and just before exiting, I asked, "By the way, where am I?" He took his thumb and nudged the wide brim of his hat up a few inches. "Son, you're in Colby, Kansas."

[Quark]

So tell us about the dude ranch, Shackster! I stopped at a gas station in Coulee City several years ago, and an old Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme pulled up next to me. On the headrest of the passenger side was drapped a grey tabby cat, very relaxed. I asked the driver about the kitty, and he said he's a salesman and was gone for days at a time, so the kitty traveled with him. He was pretty scruffy-looking, and the car was a POS - not sure what he was selling, but he was a nice enough chap, and the kitty was so sweet and happy. A big part of his territory covered the town of Grand Coulee Dam. I mentioned to him that what Grand COulee needed was a good restaurant. He told me about La Presa Mexican restaurant, and I've gone out of my way to eat there each time I visit that area, which is at least once a year. I even plan my arrival and/or departure around a meal time. Sometimes it pays to talk to guys who travel with their cats in old cars. I even roped Putz in Boots into going with me once. Ring, ring......."Hello?" "Hey, Putz in Boots, I have a cockamamie idea." "What?" she said. "I got a hankerin' for mexican food." "Fine," she said. "Well, my idea is to go to Grand Coulee to my favorite mexican restaurant." "What's so cockamamie about that?" she said. And away we went. I swear, that Putz in Boots is a maniac-idiot.

[seawallrunner]

"Well, my idea is to go to Grand Coulee to my favorite mexican restaurant." "What's so cockamamie about that?" she said. It's not far from here, either (on a weekend). love to drive. call me next time and I'll meet ya gals there

[Magellan]

I'll make fun of you, then you can make fun of me. 'Let's drive half a day, eat mexican, then drive half a day.' 'Sure.' I worked in a gas station next to Seattle Center. The graveyard shift was the best. I spent a lot of time alone, thinking. Here are some random thoughts I remember. Hey, she's pretty! Well, not so much now that she's puking in my garbage can. Is that guy going to steal some sandwiches? No, he's just draining a few ketchup packets into his mouth. The drunk girl who got out of the limo is sure obnoxious. At least she had the courtesy to pee on the rug, instead of on the tile. Is is just me, or does Michael Cage have a different car and a different girl every time he comes in? Oh, look. It's the stripper who changed her stage name to match my real name. What an honor. I am not making any of this up. The cool part is I'm just scratching the surface.

[Nisquaww]

Magellan... ...please continue.

[Mega-Will]

[Mtn Dog]

I was filling up at the AM/PM in Fairwood when a lady walked over and told the woman on the other side of the bay to please hang up her cell phone while she was pumping gas. She was chatting nonstop about trivial BS with the cell phone in one hand and the gas pump in the other. She didn't hang up until we both insisted she do so and even then she took 2 or 3 minutes to finally put the phone away. When she turned her conversation to us she was clueless as to what the fuss was all about (after she finally complied) so I promptly showed her the warnings posted on the side of the pump island describing the fire hazard potential with a static spark source like a cell phone.

[kleet]

[Spotly]

I pulled into that full-service Chevron east of Stevens Pass last year. I fugured since I was paying the extra I'd have the guy check the tire pressure in the front tires (looked low). He gave me one of those looks like I was odd. When he got done, he gave me a hard time over it - even said "most guys check thier own tires." I've been making up for my lack on manliness ever since by spitting needlessly and picking food from my teeth with my greasy fingernails.

[Spotly]

[polecatjoe]