…at a nearby Shell Station around 9:15 am this morning. The mechanic and I were talking about an engine leak needing to be fixed; he told me to come back on Tuesday, 6.25 at 9 am. I was in a hurry to take care of something else so I jumped into the car and drove off.

Alas, the gas nozzle and the black hose were still attached…bong, bang, clap.

I told the attendant (a slender Indian guy) what had happened and he immediately frowned and sternly wagged his finger and told me I would have to pay a $160 repair fee. I would have paid $40 or $50 but I said “sorry, Jose but no way” on the $160. I went back to the mechanic and profusely apologized for what had happened, and he said “don’t worry, we’ll take care of it.”

The Indian guy was glaring daggers. If looks could kill…

I’m sure that people drive off with a gas nozzle in their tanks all the time. I’m sure that the gas pump designers have made sure that the gas hose pops out easily when this happens. This must be a regular occurrence…dozens of times each day on a nationwide basis.