So I'm driving on I24 and I realize that I'm not far from my scheduled fuel stop. Further down is a T/A, but since this is a "fuel solution" stop from my company, I'll stop at the Pilot. I'm not happy about it, but today I'll be a company man. So I get off the exit, and I say to myself, this should be interesting. I never quite know how the next 45 minutes or more of my life is going to be spent dealing with some aspect of the Pilot "world." It always an adventure, mostly a negative one. Hey, the first pump next to the building is empty, I'll pull in there. Wow, my card is accepted on the first slide in. Pilot's poorly maintained Comdata readers almost always reject my card about 7 times before they get tired and finally accept it. I fill up, both tanks. I put my Trip pak in the box, despite some "hobo" leaning against it. The truck next to me is done. He pulls forward, closer and closer, wheels rubbing, closer and closer to the pump. He scraping the sidewalk. Ripppp - out comes the side of the pump and booooommmm goes the tire and crunch goes the wheel. I run. Everybody wonders what the explosion was. Everybody inside is looking. Hell, I could of had my ass blown off. I'm sure some folks would have been happy about that. The driver gets out. He goes back to look. He says nothing. Fool. I'm auto approved for the fuel purchase. I get in my truck and pass the cab of the other driver who is on the phone acting like nothing just happened. I just love fueling at Pilot.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
from the Pilot, Lavergne, TN, I24W
So I'm driving on I24 and I realize that I'm not far from my scheduled fuel stop. Further down is a T/A, but since this is a "fuel solution" stop from my company, I'll stop at the Pilot. I'm not happy about it, but today I'll be a company man. So I get off the exit, and I say to myself, this should be interesting. I never quite know how the next 45 minutes or more of my life is going to be spent dealing with some aspect of the Pilot "world." It always an adventure, mostly a negative one. Hey, the first pump next to the building is empty, I'll pull in there. Wow, my card is accepted on the first slide in. Pilot's poorly maintained Comdata readers almost always reject my card about 7 times before they get tired and finally accept it. I fill up, both tanks. I put my Trip pak in the box, despite some "hobo" leaning against it. The truck next to me is done. He pulls forward, closer and closer, wheels rubbing, closer and closer to the pump. He scraping the sidewalk. Ripppp - out comes the side of the pump and booooommmm goes the tire and crunch goes the wheel. I run. Everybody wonders what the explosion was. Everybody inside is looking. Hell, I could of had my ass blown off. I'm sure some folks would have been happy about that. The driver gets out. He goes back to look. He says nothing. Fool. I'm auto approved for the fuel purchase. I get in my truck and pass the cab of the other driver who is on the phone acting like nothing just happened. I just love fueling at Pilot.
