Price of Gas

One thing that is most annoying is the fluctuating price of gas. I know P. doesn't like hearing about this. "You sound like an old person." But if he was buying gas, he might feel differently. It would be a little different for me if one could predict when the price was going to change. Like reading the Sunday advertisements and knowing milk is on sale that week through Saturday. But with gas it's all a big mystery.

I recently had two triumphs over the gas-game. I usually need to fill the car's tank about once a month. Back in August I filled at $3.46/gallon. The very next day the price had jumped 30-cents. Boy, I felt like I had cheated the gas ogres.

Then last week I thought about filling up again. The price was around $3.63/gallon, but on Wednesday when I remembered to go to the station, the price was up about 5 cents, and I decided I could wait until the following week to see what would happen. But on Friday I knew I was going out of town to GC, plus hearing gas prices were likely to rise due to Hurricane Ike destruction, I decided this was the day to fill even with prices at $3.67. Many other people must have been trying to beat the hurricane spike also so I had to wait for a vacant pump. As I was waiting. I saw an employee walking away from the price sign carrying numbers and I thought "Heck, the price has gone up while I'm sitting here waiting," and the price was now $3.79. Then it was my turn at the pump, and I was pleased to note that my pump had not yet been adjusted to the new price. I filled the tank while the $3.67 price was still on that pump. When I finished the price changed to $3.79 so I guess I again beat the gas grim reaper by 12-cents. Yoo-hoo.

Incidentally, I drove past the gas station the next morning and the price was up some more to $3.89. Then yesterday, 4 days after my recent gas triumph, the price is now $3.99.

It's crazy.