The gas surcharge

I got my first car back in 1992. For the first 24 years of my life I was able to get along without a car, getting rides from other people or riding a bike as necessary. But in 1992 I got a job at a place over 33 miles away, and I needed a car. Not just any car. A good, reliable, affordable, and fuel-efficient vehicle. I got a used 1990 Toyota Tercel and kept it until its engine blew in 1996. (The replacement 1996 Tercel is the car I am still driving today.)

Having a car was great. I could now get from point A to point Z very quickly. If I wanted to see a friend somewhere far away, I just hopped in the car and - bingo-bango - I was there. All stuff most people take for granted. But this was all new to me.

One Sunday morning I was up early and getting ready to meet a friend at a record show later that morning. I think the show opened at 11:00, so it must've been around 8:30 when I decided to take a quick run to the Poconos to visit some friends before the show. I jumped in the car, zipped up on 81 for a bit, then turned onto 115 and rode that down to their rented house near Split Rock Lodge. I popped in, said hi, hung out for a few minutes, and then zipped back up 115 to meet my friend at the record show. The ride was a good 45 minutes down and about 40 minutes back. About 60 miles round-trip. Just for the heck of it.

Back then, gas was just over $1 a gallon, and nobody thought much of going for a joyride on a Sunday morning. Today, with gas at $3.75 a gallon, I don't do that sort of thing quite as often. That same trip would set me back $7 in gas alone. A visit to my friends in their retreat in the southernmost reaches of the Pocono plateau costs more like $12, not counting Turnpike tolls. Visiting friends in New Jersey costs around $18. And driving to and from the Baltimore / Washington area is over $40.

Once upon a time the cost of the gas used to visit my friends would have meant nothing to me. But times have changed.

A new Ace Hardware moved into an empty location at the Hanover Mall just outside of Nanticoke two weeks ago. While it's nice to have such a place within easy reach - Nanticoke's two hardware stores went out of business shortly after Wal-Mart moved into the area - I find they don't have a lot of the stuff I need. Well, I was able to get some bird netting there, almost by accident. But they had never heard of the sophisticated technology known as a "rain barrel", nor did they have anything specifically designed to be used as a composter. And when I called today to ask if they had any Bt for use against tent caterpillars, they said no - but pointed out that they had plenty of insecticides I could use on them instead. I said thanks, but no, thanks.

The Agway in Dallas doesn't have rain barrels, either - at least the girl that I asked last year had never heard of such a thing. And any composters they have are probably overpriced. But they do have Bt. If I don't do something soon, my cherry trees may be completely defoliated. I'll just have to bite the bullet and spend the $4 in gas on the round trip there and back again.