[69-Z11Pacer]

I appologize in advance for what is most likely going to be an angry rant, but I have to let the rage out!!!!

Ok, so let me set the scene here:

Yesterday, I was travelling home (PA) from Maine. The trip is about 580 miles, and is very boring (on rte 95 most of the way).

In the morning (yes - early morning ... maybe 5am) I wake up. I was sleeping at a rest stop. Well, not really AT the rest stop since techinically I was sleeping in my 2004 Silverado Ext. Cab ... in the rest stop's parking lot.

Appearantly 'Victory Red' is an attractant for seagulls. As I open my tired, bloodshot, road-weary eyes, I notice my windshield is nearly covered with seagull droppings!

Of course, after some cursing, bad mouthing the seagulls, and some other childish behavior, I turned on the wipers, and tried to squirt some washer fluid on the window.

Of course, now with the wipers on, window smeared over, I realize that there is NO washer fluid left!

Then, seemingly planned, the trucks on-board computer broadcasts the following message onto the dash:

"CHECK WASHER FLUID" ......


Oh really!!!!!!!!! I swear this truck just did this to tick me off.
So I leave, back down 95, with my head out the window. Now, I don't know if you've ever felt 12 degree weather at 55+ miles per hour, but let me tell you, it froze the snot dripping out of my nose and made my mustache into a booger-sicle.

Finally, after what seemed like a million miles (10 to be exact) I roll up on a small gas station. As luck would have it, it was a 24 hour station, so I was in luck.

I drive up to the gas pumps, park, and get out. I must have looked like a crazed man, because although I said hi to the guy at the pump across from me, he only seemed to cower in fear, whimper, and hop into his car and leave.

Now it's just me and a woman in a soccer-mom-ish mini van. I look around for the squeege and can't find the one on my island. I asked the attendant and he said there was only one at the other island (where the mini-van was).

I look over, and the woman is washing her windows.

I wait patiently, as she washes front, back, and side windows. As she finished the last window I started to step towards her. And I spoke:

"May I have the squeegee when you are done? Thanks."

to which she replied:

"Yep, I'll be done in a minute"

Ok, fine so I go over to my truck, start filling the washer bottle with the near-gold-priced washer solvent I purchased from Mohammed (that was really his name - he had a tag). By the way, it was 4.75 for washer fluid. Ouch!!!

My truck swallows the entire gallon and as I go to throw away the empty bottle I see the mini-van lady scrubbing her WHEELS & WHEELWELLS with the window squeege.

I couldn't believe my eyes. Could this woman (other words could be used here) be so ignorant that she didn't understand that it's only supposed to be used to clean your windows????

I was furious, and had had enough. I walked over, and politely said:

"Ma'am - that's really only for windows. The road grime you are cleaning off your wheels is going to end up on someone else's [mine] windows."

to which she said "I don't care. The car wash isn't open yet."

I was dumbfounded, and since I enjoy my freedom, I decided to let it ride. I figured I would just rinse it out well when she was done.

Tragically, for the squeegee anyway, she got it caught in the wheelhouse on something, and I saw her yank it out, and look at it like IT had done something wrong.

A few moments later, she laid the squeegee to rest in it's blueish-brown liquidly home, and drive off.

I walked over, picked it up, and lo-and-behold she had torn the fabric and foam completely off!!!!!!!

I flipped. All I wanted to do was wash my windows!!!!!! I screamed the 'F' word, and got into my truck. I pulled away from the pump, and had to squirt nearly the entire bottle of washer fluid to get it clean.

I just can believe people are so ignorant and selfish that they would use the window squeegee to clean other parts of their car.

Thanks for listening.... I feel better now.

 

[67 Convertible]

I feel your pain. If you are not a writer, you should consider it. That was a great story, written well and very entertaining. That may have not been your intent, but I felt forced to read it to the end. As for the ignorant uncaring people, they are everywhere. I can't remember the last time I used a gas staion squeegie, they are always tattered, torn and useless.

 

[paulm]

Bill, that sucks! I would love to be able to say that I've never done something selfish, but I can't truthfully do so....

I do try and be considerate of others and even at my worst moment (PO'ed, stressed, in a hurry, etc) I don't think that I could have done what that lady did.

 

[Mister G]

Last time I used the squeegee at the local Arco the fabric was also torn, might have been used by a person related to the one you met, and there was no water or any kind of liquid. I took it to the window to show Mohammed's relative, and he just looked at me like I wanted something, go figure. I said the squeegee is bad do you have another? He pointed to the next island and sure enough the one I had in my hand was an exact replica. All chewed up and hardly salvageable. This morning when i drove to the station the price was 7 cents higher than a couple of days ago, do you think it was because they might be ordering a new squeege? Anyway I also feel your anguish, and the older i get the more I want things right which makes it even tougher. Remember when they actually had gas station attendants that did the windows, checked the oil and tire pressure all for 29.9 cents a gallon, and spoke and understood English?

 

[mbrekke]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I've seen countless people clean the spilled gas off the side of their car with them. Makes for a nice greasey, smelly mess when you try to clean your windows. My favorite are the ones that clean the crap off their horse trailers with them. :sad:

Mark

 

[68Lemans blue]

Squeegee ..is used for most anything at the gas station, cleaning the gas spillage on the side of car when pulling out the nozzle from the filler neck,cleaning tires, cleaning poop off your shoes ,road tar or grease thrown up by your tires on to your car ,I have seen it all,well almost ,at least what I have mentioned,oh well I still use them on occasion,Happy Motoring

 

[Everett#2390]

ROTFLMAO!!! I feel your pain as others do here. And I bet Mohammand's last name is Patel.

Yes, people are inconsiderant and have no repect for others. I'm sure glad my frig is full of cold beverage.

 

[camaroman7d]

I have seen people wash their emtire car with the squeegee/squeagie/squeagy, lol. Seriously when I worked on autmoated fuel systems I would be amazed watching people wash their whole car just before driving through the automatic car wash.

I will admit to washing spilled gas off my car/truck with it but, only because the nozzle was leaky. If you have even smelled the fluid those things sit in during the warmer months a bit of gas is an improvement.

 

[KevinW]

Easy fix, go into the bath room and take ALL the paper towels and wipe your windows down

 

[Camaro Dave]

If you use a squeegee to wash your entire car.......you might be a *******!!! I feel the pain too. I solved the problem years ago by keeping my own squeegee in my car for my own personal use. I also learned the hard way. :noway:

Jeff Foxworthy..... You might be a ******* if......

 

[Rich69RS/SS]

You might be a ******* if..... the working TV sits on top of the broken TV...you might be a *******.

 

[SixtyAte]

Bill,
I would have lost it also I got tired of no washer bucket or window scrub tool at the stations and bought my own. I also keep a can of spray window washer (old windex bottle) to solve the bird turd issue. To save your heart and blood pressure, you may consider doing the same.:yes:

Kev

 

[69camarofast]

I feel your pain. If you are not a writer, you should consider it. That was a great story, written well and very entertaining. That may have not been your intent, but I felt forced to read it to the end. As for the ignorant uncaring people, they are everywhere. I can't remember the last time I used a gas staion squeegie, they are always tattered, torn and useless.

what he said..a lot of uncaring people out there a lot!, i do like what you said about liking your freedom and deciding to let it ride.

 

[musclecarjohn]

I hear you loud & clear...last time I tried using one,there was sooo much oil/gas in the bucket I ended up making a huge oil-slick mess on my windshield...

 

[dragsterman]

That lady sounds like a complete jerk! I hope she got a flat tire with no spare a block away! LOL! It would have been hard not to smash that squeegee through her windshield! Don't waste your life being angry over some idiot you can't control. That's life sometimes. Like you said, you like your freedom... She's not worth it. She will be judged on a higher level at some point! Just because you don't know people doesn't mean you shouldn't care! Don't let some worthless nasty person change your perception or attitude on life! Good luck!

 

[BillK]

Thats why there is always a bottle of Windex and a roll of paper towels in the back of the Tahoe

 

[2x67rs/ss]

After a bad night working on the hot rod you gave me a laugh sorry it was at you expense but thank you!

 

[JimM]

Next time take your road trip to Wisconsin. There's always clean juice in the hopper, the squeegee's are always new, and the handles are long enough to not leave a dirty spot in the middle of the Silverado's windshield!

 

[radial72]

When I lived in Iowa I'd buy tons of Police inpound cars. Most had a gas station squeegee in them for scraping the windows in the winter. I always marveled at the ignorance. At one point I had probably 20 or 30 of them, I finally just would drop a few off at whereever I'd fuel up. Probably thought I was the one stealing them, but they really aren't good for much else.

I probably would have had the police called on me for uttering a loud oath or ten, in your situation, but I appauld your restraint!