By Robert A. Bak
Bill looked out his front window, hoping to find some rain clouds, but it was another sweltering and sunny day in the high desert. The area had been breaking record highs for the last two weeks, with temperatures over 100 degrees daily and nights in the mid-to-high 80’s.
Bill was trying to find a place to walk around and cool off. A bright idea came to him: go to the local Costco store, walk around, and sample some of the free food given to the members. At least the air conditioning in his car was working well.
Driving to Costco, he noticed the fuel gauge was nearing a quarter tank full. The last time he had tried to get gas at Costco, he had waited in the queue for nearly twenty minutes. He was hoping this time would be shorter.
As he pulled into the numerous gas lines, he found an empty gas pump waiting for him. He did not have to think twice about heading to the open pump. As he approached the pump, the car in front of him was leaving, leaving him with two empty pumps. He drove to the front pump and was very pleased with himself.
He got out and walked around to open the car’s gas door. They only charged $3.24 a gallon, which was a reasonable price. Before he knew it, the car’s tank was full, and he was leaving the pumps to drive and find a parking space.
He entered Costco and went to the produce and milk aisles, which he knew would be nice and cool, and they were. The store was offering free food samples for its members, and he, of course, had to try some. He always thanked the person handling the items for that day. One of the ladies thanked Bill for thanking her. Most people would take the sample and walk away.
Bill had a most enjoyable time cooling off for at least an hour, but then he went back to his hot car and headed home again. Bill thought of the people who had not gone to Costco to get gas and had to witness the long lines and wait times. Most members struggle to remember which side of the vehicle their fuel tank is on. And what were the chances of being able to drive up to an open fuel pump to get gas without waiting in line? What a day it was.
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Robert is a well-established writer who has published 20 short stories, essays, and short plays in the US and internationally over the past decade. He has been involved in the entertainment business for many years. He began his career as a stage manager at Off-Off-Broadway in New York City, then worked on entertainment programs in Los Angeles and Albuquerque.