Pleasant Surprise!

Sinc · Post by **Sinc** » October 21, 2009, 11:16 am

Hey Guys,

This past weekend, my wife and I took a road trip to do some leaf-peeking up in New York state and Vermont. As we were passing through the town of Bennington, Vermont the Low Fuel light on my wife's car came on. As luck would have it, we were right next to a Sunoco gas station. Even luckier was that the Sunoco station was also the home of Hemmings Motor News. So, of course, I didn't need another reason to stop. It was the neatest, cleanest, and coolest gas station that I have ever been to. First off, it was manned by two of the coolest young guys you'll ever meet. Here's the way our conversation went:

Me: Hi, can you fill it with regular please?
Kid: Yes Sir. Can I check your oil?
Me: Huh? Er, ahh, hum, sure, that would be GREAT!
Kid: Okay, everything looks fine. I'll just wash your windshield and you'll be all set to go.
Me (still dumbfounded): Thanks, this has been terrific! Listen, I belong to a classic truck club. When I get back home I'm going to post on our website about what a great job you guys are doing here.
Kid: That's cool, thanks. Tell your club guys to cruise by here sometime, we host a lot of car shows and cruise-ins.

I now know how Marty McFly must have felt the first time he drove Doc's DeLorean back to the 50's.

Sidebar: I was so taken aback by the whole experience that I totally forgot to tip the kid. I didn't think of it until we 10 miles away.

Of course, while we were there we also checked out the Hemmings Museum and the gift shop. Here are a few pix.....

We had a couple more cool encounters while on this trip. But, I'll share them in a separate post.

Later...Sinc

gearhead21 · Post by **gearhead21** » October 21, 2009, 11:44 am

I worked at a couple gas stations in the 60's. Pumped the gas, checked the oil, if asked would check the tire pressures. Handed out the "Green Stamps". Had the "wad" of cash in my pocket to make change. For the few that would pay with a credit card, I had to go in the station and check the card number in the "book" to make sure it was ok, and put the card through the imprinter, fill out the reciept, and bring it out for the customer to sign. It was a different time.

36truck · Post by **36truck** » October 21, 2009, 11:50 am

That is cool old school gas station.

Max · Post by **Max** » October 21, 2009, 12:20 pm

Good story!

Obsa · Post by **Obsa** » October 21, 2009, 12:26 pm

gearhead21 wrote:I worked at a couple gas stations in the 60's. Pumped the gas, checked the oil, if asked would check the tire pressures. Handed out the "Green Stamps". Had the "wad" of cash in my pocket to make change. For the few that would pay with a credit card, I had to go in the station and check the card number in the "book" to make sure it was ok, and put the card through the imprinter, fill out the reciept, and bring it out for the customer to sign. It was a different time.

Been there done that, the station also sold bulk oil kept in glass bottles by the pumps. As we sold the oil we would have to refill the emptys from a hand cranked tank. I have that CRS that prevents me from remembering how much the oil was per bottle, I do remember that gas was 20-25 cents a gallon and the station owner told me that he could go down to as low as 13 cents a gallon and still make a profit this would have been about 1968

ABA · Post by **ABA** » October 21, 2009, 4:41 pm

That rollback is Sweet.

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » October 21, 2009, 8:06 pm

Awesome Sinc! Thanks for posting that .. I had no idea Hemmings did anything but publish a book

Post by **Greg D** » October 21, 2009, 8:09 pm

That is so cool. Sightseeing a good time too I assume? Does get pretty out your way this time of year.

6166 Junkyard Dog · Post by **6166 Junkyard Dog** » October 21, 2009, 9:59 pm

I started around 10 pumping gas at family owned trucking company we had in the back enough room to park the 15 trucks ++ 2 bay garage but I remember we did Sunoco Gas with I believe was 4 grades + diesel and where high test was almost pure red which was like .17 diesel was .11 since we did a lot of diesel,, my grandfather made darn sure that I checked the oil, cleaned windshield so there is where I learned on how to handle money in our head,, none of those adding machines as they where called back in the 60's

,, 2 weeks ago went to NJ where there is still full service like WOW

beagle · Post by **beagle** » October 21, 2009, 10:17 pm

Bill, so I guess Susan is used to having most ( or maybe all?) of your vacations end up having something to do with Slicks or cars...nice pics. look forward to seeing more.

Tom, next time you get up to NJ give Sinc or myself a heads up, we are just across the river from Trenton NJ, and as Greg D can attest, its not as bad as it sounds!

Rich

Alan Mclennan · Post by **Alan Mclennan** » October 22, 2009, 1:38 am

Nice story Sinc, is leaf looking the same as sight seeing?, must use that one!, I pumped gas in the early 70`s and did full driveway service with a small cash draw between the bousers without a lock!, thanks again!

semotrucker · Post by **semotrucker** » October 22, 2009, 6:18 pm

Alan...leaf looking=big dollars up in the northeast.People even charter tour busses to check out the fall foilage in all its autumn splendor.The trees up there produce more(different) colored leaves than you can imagine. Speaking as a trucker and getting paid to see it all I consider myself privileged .

Cam

ezernut9mm · Post by **ezernut9mm** » October 22, 2009, 9:04 pm

lots of folks take autumn tours of the new england area to see the trees change alan. and also to hear "you can't get thea from hea'" when they get lost.

Post by **Greg D** » October 22, 2009, 9:09 pm

The boroughs around Philly are just the best! Very nice friendly people, simply beautiful scenery, and all the historical charm without the tourist chessyness that you could ask for.

thrush544 · Post by **thrush544** » October 23, 2009, 6:22 am

Beautiful picture Chris. Reminds me of home.

jwh f-100 · Post by **jwh f-100** » October 23, 2009, 6:30 am

Sounds like a cool gas station Bill.. Love the truck pics, evan the red f250 is cool...