That... that was epic.

It's not quite 1000hrs and I have already lost all faith in humanity.

Since Kirsten is taking Ranger Darby to TTITD I've been getting him ready for the trip. Yesterday, it was Precision for their Road Trip Special (oil change, tire inspection and rotation, brake inspection, battery and alternator checked, fluids checked and topped off, and a safety inspection, all for about $63).

This morning? A quick trip to Kragen Auto (I refuse to acknowledge the name change) for some fuel additive, little trees, and industrial strength glass cleaner. Then fill the tank at Arco, dumping one bottle of fuel system cleaner in. Here's where my problems began.

I'm cruising along, having already filled the jerry can, when a trash heap pulls in behind me. Seriously, from the sound of things the sound system was worth four times the car it was mounted in. Guy gets out, smoking, leaves the engine running, and starts pumping fuel.

Hilarity ensues. The guys on duty freak out (so was I to be honest) and scream for the moron to stop pumping gas. He flips them off. So the clerk hits the emergency kill switch. All the pumps stop dead. Moron freaks out. It was at that point that the wind shifted and I smelled what he had been smoking.

Yeah, stoned and pumping gas.

Since it became clear that these pumps weren't being turned on again anytime soon (at least five people were calling the police) I packed up and rolled to the Chevron down the block to finish filling up. I would have just gone home, but those fuel cleaners are corrosive. You need to dilute them with a full tank or your gas tank suffers.

I bought the traditional pre-Burn lottery tickets.

Next up is starting the loading process tonight. As of tomorrow we're switching cars.