16 JAN 06: THE GAS-UP GAME

The low gas price in Columbus on this Martin Luther King Day is $2.20 a gallon. Which station will dare to follow the King example and declare for the holiday: "Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty it's free at last"?!

(I actually passed an Atlanta coin laundry years ago which offered free dryers on M.L.K. Day. The washers were left up to you - perhaps so you could battle your conscience over separating clothes into "whites" and "colors.")

I filled my gas tank Sunday afternoon at Raceway on Victory Drive - but it turned out to be quite an adventure. It started with a sign on the pump noting it's a "prepay" station. So many people are driving off without paying for gas that some stations should install turnpike gates at the exits.

I wanted to buy some soda with my gas, so I walked inside Raceway to hand over my credit card. "I'm filling up on number nine," I told the "Associate" (so said his name tag) at the counter.

"We're prepay all the way now," the Associate said. "How much?" Huh? It's a fill-up -- and I do NOT drive a luxury car with a digital gas tank.

The Associate then explained the Raceway prepay rules, which were so surprisingly complicated in my ears that I needed them repeated. "You tell us how much you're prepaying. We take it off your card, and have you sign a transaction statement. If you spend more than that amount, we do a separate transaction for the difference. If you spend less, we do a transaction refunding that amount for an extra inconvenience." At least he had a sense of humor about it.

I could avoid all of this by swiping my credit card at the pump - but I wanted to put the soda on my card along with the gasoline. So I answered the Associate in a way which sounded appropriate for these rules. "OK, Bob Barker, I'll guess 22 dollars for my tank of gas."

The Associate swiped my card, and a female co-worker began chuckling at all this. "It sounds like a game show," I explained in semi-disbelief. "Will I have to spin a wheel a little later?"

"Yes, and you'll have to pick a lucky number," the Associate answered. Imagine if this Raceway had been crowded....

"I've been watching 'The View' instead of 'The Price is Right,' so I don't know all these rules." Uh-oh - a guy probably shouldn't be admitting that in public.

The Associate swiped my card and gave it back, and I started to head for the car. "No, come back," he said stopping me. "You still have to sign for it." I knew the price of gas was going as high as some mortgage payments, but this was ridiculous.

I signed receipt #1, THEN walked outside and filled my gas tank. But I couldn't clean my windshield, because the fluid holder with the squeegee was empty. When did the price of THAT liquid go out of control?

It was a dramatic finish to my gas fill-up, but I wound up at $21.10. I went back inside Raceway and pointed out, "I came close to my actual guess without going over." But come to think of it - I overbid at 22 dollars, didn't I?

By the way, I had an old RaceTrac cup for my fountain soda. From previous trips to this station, I knew that's another game you have to play. "Refill cup! I called it!" I said as I walked back in the door. An attendant became upset months ago because she rang me up before I could say those money-saving words.

In my confusion, I wound up paying cash for soda and a couple of cookies instead of putting them on my credit card. But I still wound up with two slips of paper - and an Associate declaring, "You've won your Showcase Showdown."

The Raceway prepay approach seems designed to make sure people don't hand over a phony or expired card, fill up and drive away with free gasoline. But what a mess, getting used to this for the first time! Next time I need gasoline, I may check my credit score first.

Now for other drops of interesting events from the holiday weekend....

+ Urban League President Reginald Pugh spoke at the annual "Human Relations Day" event at St. Mary's Road United Methodist Church. You'll have to call the church office to find out when it's holding Animal Relations Day.

+ The True Deliverance Holiness Church telecast on WLGA showed a New Year's Eve service in Auburn. As the congregation counted down to 2006, a woman in the front fell back and collapsed as the count reached one. Do swimming and diving teams have parties like this?

(The New Year's service had what appeared to be an all-star lineup of preachers, all giving ten-minute messages. One man finished with minutes to spare, and proceeded to pose for the audience! Deion Sanders would be right at home in this
church.)

+ Former Shaw High pitching star Edwin Jackson was traded from the Los Angeles Dodgers to Tampa Bay. He's more likely to make that team's starting rotation - but I fear he's also more likely to pile up losses.

+ A woman filed a new civil complaint, claiming Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick gave her herpes. If this woman's telling the truth, it will make brother Marcus Vick look tame - because Marcus only steps on body parts....

+ Instant Message #2 to Joy at AC Fitness in Auburn: OK, I've calmed down now. Please forgive me. It's 2006. I should have Googled you first. Send my regards to your husband. (Sigh....)

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