The Road to Independence

The car rolled into the gas station and ceased in front of the pump. Emily clicked off the ignition and grabbed her purse. She pulled a lipstick out of the front pocket and turned the rear view mirror toward her. She was about to smear some shocking pink, when she caught a glimpse of her sister staring at her intently from the passenger seat. “Em, what are you doing?” Emily squinted, “Um, fixing my lipstick, why?” “Why? You just pulled into the gas station. Get out of the car and pump your gas!” Emily rolled her lipstick back into its case and tossed it into the pocket of her purse. “I’m not pumping gas, the gas guy will do it. The attendant.” “There is no gas guy, Emily. This is a self serve gas station. You know, as in you serve yourself.” Emily started her car. Charlotte sat forward in her seat. “Wait, where are you going?” “I’m going to the gas station in Amherst where they still believe in customer service!” Charlotte was staring at Emily. “Why are you looking at me like that?” “You can’t be serious, Emily. You’re going to travel twenty minutes out of our way, and pay more money, just to have someone pump your gas? You’re not even working right now! The ink on your divorce papers isn’t dry yet. Why waste the money? We’re here. Pump your gas and let’s go.” Emily lifted her chin and sucked her cheeks, she glared at Charlotte, the pitch in her voice like Mercury rising, “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I’m going to waste money I don’t have, on principle. Why should I encourage a business ethic that’s against my better judgment? Think about it, Charlotte, arthritic octogenarians, disabled people, sick cancer ridden patients who are so unwell that the only road trip they take is for medical treatments! These people are being forced out of their cars in freezing and in sweltering temperatures to pump gas! Is that acceptable to you? Are they supposed to remain at home because of this trend of corporate laziness and profit mongering?” Charlotte turned in her seat toward Emily and smacked her lips. “Good to know you feel so strongly about self serve gas stations Em. I had no idea. But since my ankle is three times the size of your activist gonads, I’d appreciate it if you would shelf your boycott for now and just get out of the car and pump the gas!” Emily folded her arms and stared through the windshield as though an answer to her deepest question lie just on the other side. She turned on her wipers and a spray of cleaning fluid washed away the trance. “Charlotte, do you know they don’t even wash your windows anymore? Customer service is a lost art. What a sad world we live in.” Charlotte leaned forward and covered her face in her hands. “I know you’ve faced a lot of challenges since Doug left, but I never would have guessed this is one of them.” Emily looked at her sister, “Did you hear anything I said? Give me one damn reason why I should pay them to pump my own gas? Isn't this a service station? Service?” “Ok, Emily, for one thing almost every gas station in the country is now self serve. You and Doug took road trips, you know that!” “Yes, of course I do, but Doug pumped the gas!” Charlotte faced Emily. “That’s it! You don’t know how to pump your own gas, do you?“ Emily flipped back her hair. “Well, why would I, Charlotte? I’ve never had to do it! ” In the short distance, Emily and Charlotte spotted the station attendant exiting the store and walking toward the car. He approached the window and Emily rolled it down. “Everything ok here? You need help with something?” Charlotte spoke first. "Yes! Could you do me a favor and please show her how to pump gas?” “Oh, sure, no problem,” he replied. ” Emily huffed and clicked off the ignition. She pulled her bag over and scored her wallet. As she got out of the car, she glanced at Charlotte and curled a bright pink lip. Charlotte could hear the attendant instructing Emily, as she self consciously removed the gas cap. A cold burst of air blanketed the front seat as Emily got back into the car. They pulled out of the gas station in silence and didn’t exchange a word until they arrived at Charlottes. Charlotte opened the car door, “Thanks Em, lets touch base this week!” Emily leaned toward the passenger seat and looked up at Charlotte, “So, I guess it’s a good thing to know, isn’t it?” Charlotte smiled, “Yeah, I'd say it’s your first step on the road to independence, Emily.