Gas Station Blues

I had to stop by the nearest gas station, PTT Clark, to tank up as I headed home from work last night. It was around half past nine. There were two vehicles being serviced so I pulled over to the nearest vacant pump, which was the right in front of one of the cars being serviced, an SUV.

By habit, I usually switch of the engines and pop the tank cover as soon as I reach the pump.

About a few yards in front was a guard and one of the gas attendants having a conversation with a third guy. I was pretty sure they noticed me waiting since they were all looking my way when I pulled over. And I was pretty sure too that the two other gas attendants, who were right beside the cars being serviced, knew that I was waiting too.

A couple of minutes go by, no service. A fourth car pulls over to the empty slot to my left and it too had to wait. Three minutes go by, nothing. Another minute more, still… no… service… Man, I mean, the pumps being used are automatic pumps. You just enter the amount on the console and the pump does the rest. It automatically stops once the pre-set amount is reached. The 2 cars being serviced were obviously being filled to full capacity. I only needed about two hundred pesos worth of gas, but the attendants were just standing ildly while waiting for the tanks to fill up. It’s not as if they were checking the engine oil or water levels. No. They just stared, scratched their heads, waited, and stared. And the other guy in front? He just chatted, and chatted, and chatted with his pals, as if waiting for the other guys to attend to me.

I’ve seen stations where an attendant could attend to several cars without any problems. I guess the PTT guys haven’t heard the concepts of customer service and multi-tasking. If they do have multi-tasking skills then they sure as hell use it for all the wrong reasons! And it goes: stand up, yawn and head-scratch all at the same time!

The only time somebody finally attended to me and the car beside me was when I did my car-honking-like-mad routine. That was when Mr. Chatterbox finally rushed to my side. Sheeeesh!

PJ: “Boss, pwedeng magtanong?”
A: “Ano po iyon sir?”
PJ: “Automatic ba yung mga pump niyo dito?”
A: “Ay opo sir! Automatic mga ‘to!”
PJ: “Eh di pwedeng iwanan yung pump?”
A: “Opo sir!”
PJ: “Ah, ok.”
A: “Full tank sir?”
PJ: “2 hundred lang, Boss. Honga pala, kayo ba gusto niyong pinaghihintay kayo?”
A: (nakahalata) “Pasensya na po sir. Oo nga sir eh, automatic nga po, ewan ko ba sa mga kasama ko!”

— Yicks!!! And he blames the other chaps? Hahaha!

*Sigh* I wish we had those self-service stations like in other countries.