Being a gas

I don't know if you know, but Costco's opened gas bars at select locations and the Costco member population's gone nuts for them. Understandably--you can save like, 4 cents a litre! So the line-ups for gas are, of course, ridiculous. Luckily, Costco's planned for that and has introduced a new, extremely valuable, indispensable line of careers.

The Costco gas bar attendants.

A field dominated by men (I've seen but one lone female there), these are the most under appreciated but toughest group of guys around. Standing outdoors for hours on end in minus to the nth degree temperature, they are there to direct traffic around the bar, to guide people to the pumps, to help members with their card authorizations (because you have to have a membership card and there's no paying with cash), and finally wish you well on your way afterwards.

Let's give it up for these guys (and girl)!

They have kept order more than once while I've been in line, and I just thought a little shout out to them is the least that they deserve.

Blondie
(He had a toque on, but you could see the little blonde wisps sticking out the sides--and his drawl just screamed surfer dude.)

I am not one of those members that fiddles very much with the pump or card reader--I get in and get out as efficiently as I can every time. Even so. One evening I was filling up after work and while I was working the card reader, Blondie came over to check on me. While I waited for my membership to authorize, he opened up my gas tank and while I pressed the button to pick my grade of gas he stuck the nozzle in and started pummping. He also showed me that these pumps had that little auto-switch so that you didn't have to hold the nozzle while pumping.

"Oh, I thought those weren't allowed on gas pumps anymore?"
"These are American pumps so they still have them. And there are so many attendants around that spills are rare but we can be there right away to clean them up. Well, you have a nice ev'ning, miss."

Thanks.


Mr. Ecco
(He's not as tall, he's definitely not Lost, but he's just as dark and still built like a tank.)

Mr. Ecco doesn't speak much, but whenever he makes eye contact with you, his eyes ask you if you need help and if your eyes tell him you're okay, he gives you a curt nod and continues his patrol of the gas bar.

There was one time where I pulled into the first pump and a silver Toyota Camry came around me a second later to pull into the second pump in front of me. He wasn't very good at backing into the space, but he did his best, and after a quick venture from his front seat to check, he figured he'd done alright and he and his bluetooth headset started to pump gas into his awkwardly angled car.

There is only one direction for traffic to pull in and out of the pump lanes. There is only one driveway next to the lanes to exit by. Having finished pumping my gas, I went to leave...and couldn't. (Ready for it?) The Chinese guy driving the silver Toyota Camry who was talking on his bluetooth headset turned out to be a bad driver and had blocked me in by angling his car too far into the driveway.

Mr. Ecco saw me not going anywhere in my car and came over because he thought I needed guidance out. His eyes connected with mine, but mine told him it wasn't my fault. He took one look at the situation, and without a word, stared down the dude in front until you could tell the guy just wanted to crawl into a hole and die. That stare was priceless.

When the guy had finished filling up and finally got out of the way, Mr. Ecco just turned away, shook his head and laughed.


Tag Team
(I dunno what else to call him...he was part of a team!)

So with everyone wanting cheap gas, the lineups tend to get pretty ridiculous. However, because of those valiant gas attendants, there is a method to the madness. There are attendants every step of the way from the moment you turn into the Costco parking lot to guide you through until you're in your precious spot in line for gas.

Thank goodness.

The other day, I was in line, inching my way along in the orderly fashion that was dictated by all the attendants when all of a sudden, there appeared a car a little too close to me in the passing lane on my left. It wasn't until the car behind me started honking that I realized that this woman was trying to cut in line in front of me! Well, 3 children in the backseat with a million other errands to run or not, I was NOT pleased at what this woman was attempting to do.

Thankfully, I didn't have to kill her.

Tag Team, who had been directing traffic up until then, had taken notice of the honking and had come over to investigate. As soon as he saw what she was trying to do, he planted himself directly in her way with his arms crossed so she couldn't butt her way in. I thought it was brave of him as the look in her eyes showed the desperation of the weary caregiver--again, with 3 kids in the back and a million other errands to run--I swear she was calculating whether or not she could get away with just mowing him over.

Then backup arrived.

With his silent but vocal eyes, Mr. Ecco tapped on the woman's window. She didn't open it, but that was okay--Mr. Ecco's eyes told her all she needed to know. She threw one last longingful look at Tag Team (who hadn't moved a muscle), and reluctantly drove away.

Thank you, Costco, for cheap gas, but thank you even more, for those gas attendants.