THREE

I took my lunch break and headed to put gas in my car today. I live in a small city and figured I would have plenty of time to get the gas and be back in 30 minutes. 

In the first half mile, the road was closed due to a traffic accident. Fire trucks, ambulances and police vehicles were on the scene. So I turned onto a side road and meandered around the college and through a neighborhood. When I got back on the main road, I was close to the bi-pass highway, where the traffic is always slow. So I kept up with the traffic and made it to my favorite gas station. Yes, I did pass a couple other stations on the way, but I like always getting gas at the same spot. By the time I got there, so did everyone and their brother. So I waited. I don’t understand why so many people have difficulty paying at the pump, but it must be a challenge for many. After my tank was full, I headed back to work. Figuring it should only take 5 minutes to get back, but the light to get back on the main road took literally 4 minutes to turn green. As I came up to yet another red light down the way, another accident had just happened. No emergency vehicles there yet, so I made it through another intersection just fine. I’m not sure how many traffic lights are between my office and my gas station, but it sure feels like 72. When I was only three lights away from my destination, and 3 minutes beyond my allotted break time, I watched yet another traffic accident happen. I was lucky to not be in that lane and calmly passed the folks now looking at their bumpers. By the time I clocked back into work, 35 minutes since I left, I had seen 3 accidents on one road. I do not think I will venture to fill my car in the early afternoon again any time soon.