Hearing Voices

As I was getting gas yesterday, I began hearing fast-talking voices that sounded like they were coming from nowhere and everywhere.

Looking up and around I caught glimpse of a screen in the middle of the shiny new pumps the gas station had just installed.

I was getting news, weather and entertainment while I pumped.

I didn't notice it at first because, ever since there was a rash of credit and debit card information being stolen from gas stations a few years back, I go inside and pay cash.

At any rate, gas station television. What a novel idea, and how fun, I thought as I walked away from the pump, around the car to stand in front of the screen.

It was mesmerizing.

After hearing the click indicating the gas was done pumping, I released the pump – eyes still on the screen, and was bummed out to learn that action of release turned the screen off.

After replacing the pump, I drove across the street to the walk-in Starbucks.

I generally drive in the opposite direction to the drive-thru Starbucks in the mornings but, since this location recently became a PokéStop, I'll be running my errands on this end of town from now on.

Lucky for me that’s as far as I drove because, returning to the car, I saw I’d neglected to replace the gas cap.

So now I’m thinking gas pump television, with its distracting us from focusing on the job at hand, might not be such a good idea after all.