Fool at the gas station...

Who, might you ask, is the fool? Apparently everyone who was at the new Texaco station by my house this afternoon around 4:45 thought I was the fool. Here's the story. We've had a Texaco credit card for years. A while back (not sure exactly how long) Texaco merged with Shell and we were mailed new cards bearing the Shell logo. We use these cards at Texacos all the time.

So today I stopped at the new Texaco (previously Crown) station and tried to use my gas card, like I always do, but it wouldn't go through. So I went inside to see the cashier as the screen on the pump instructed me to do. She clicked something and then told me to try again. Of course I did and it didn't work again. So I went back inside and she asked me how much gas I wanted. I told her I wanted to fill it up. So she turned on the pump and told me to come back inside when I was done to pay. I filled my tank and headed back into the station (for the third time) to pay. The card still wasn't working...it kept returning a message that said the system was down.

She finally got someone on the phone and they were trying to figure out the problem. By this time there are 3 guys behind me in line waiting to pay. So, she finally asks to see my card and says, "Oh. This is a Shell card."

And I say, "Shell and Texaco are together now. I use this card at Texacos all the time."

And she says, "No, it's Texaco and Chevron."

And one of the guys behind me picks up a credit application, shows it to me and says, "Yeah, it says it right here. Texaco and Chevron."

"I use this card at Texacos all the time. And my bill says Shell/Texaco," I persist.

And she says, "Well, this is a Shell card and our system won't except it."

So I paid with my check card and I'm sure all those guys behind me were thinking along the "stupid woman driver" theme. "She doesn't even know what gas stations she's at. Ha, ha."

So I got home, found my bill and called customer service. Shell owns Texaco. So, ha! Who's the fool now?