While Walking Uphill To School Both Ways In The Snow …
At the time of this sign, I had occasion to often drive Telegraph Rd (the one in the Dire Straits song – also passing where Jimmy Hoffa was last seen). Something to do with a young lady of my acquaintance …
Driving back and forth to see this girl sucked up a lot of gas, maybe 80 miles round trip (she became my fiancee but the marriage never happened).
Anyway, there was this gas station open past midnight. Not many were in those days. And I often made the return trip after midnight.
Recall gas tanks were small and gas mileage even smaller. If you didn’t keep an eye on the gauge, it was easy to run out of gas. Being young-ish and somewhat stupid played into that possibility. So did being broke much of the time.
“Can I have a $1.25 worth of regular please?” That was an hour’s work … and maybe 50 miles worth of driving.
So, this was often the only open station for the 15 miles or so I drove along Telegraph.
Trouble was, they charged … 32¢/gal !!! Outrageous gouging!
I swore I wouldn’t pay that much.
And, by God, all these years later, I was right.
1972 was my high school garduation year and that summer I was working at the Miracle Mile Shell station at the busiest intersection in Lee County, Florida, right across from the fairly new Edison Mall.
That station was the hot tip for that era of muscle cars as the owner was a professional drag racer and I went to school with his younger brother who was a good friend of mine. An awesome place to be and get to hang out there AND make money. I seem to recall regular gas was 29.9 that year and high test was a nickel more. It wasn’t unusual for people to order $5 worth of high test.
ALL the hot cars in the area came into that station. Loud ass glasspacks, full race cams, ass ends jacked up to the rafters, and STP stickers everywhere. I had a hi-po 66′ Mustang with all of the above and the knowledge and experience to make it happen. The only time in my life I have ever driven a Corvette was at that station as I did an oil change on a 72′ and then did a test drive for leaks. Woo!
It was a full service station and 2 of us went to every car. The first guy dropped the pump then opened the hood and checked all the fluids, belts, hoses, etc. The other guy grabbed the air hose and topped off the tires. Then both set about cleaning all the windows. Gurlz frequently wore skirts and dresses in them days and when cleaning the windshield you could look right down in there. HA HA HA
I made $1.25/hour working there and was glad for the opportunity.
Just looked at the map and that Shell Station is no longer there.
Instead, a strip mall.
https://tinyurl.com/bz2c2jz5
I miss the days of full service stations.
I recall the Sonoco gas station and them giving us some token drinking glass after a fill up.
I also remember 3.5% sales tax in KS. Currently 7.8%. How did a gubmint ever operate prior?
They spent less and therefore didn’t have to steal as much.
An enterprise developed on theft will only exist as long as the victims allow.