Not "can't pay", more "don't want to pay".

[Slave to the Phone]

As the gf in the story, I thought it was hysterically funny. Its been almost 40 years and every so often so often I tease him about the time he was going to leave me at a gas station because he had forgotten his wallet at work.

When we moved from big city CA to small town AZ, I would always jump off the bike and run in to pay first because that was what I was so used to and finally the clerks started to recognize us and yell over the speaker that I could pay after.

I really, REALLY liked it when it became pay at the pump.

[dalesys]

As the gf in the story, I thought it was hysterically funny...

A "Ransom of Red Chief" moment?

[wordgirl]

As the gf in the story, I thought it was hysterically funny.

DOH! I completely missed the "my sweetie" in your first post. Apologies! (and clearly, he is a Man of Many Sterling Qualities if you kept him around for 40 years after that).

[Kit-Ginevra]

It's probably different in the UK (I wouldn't know since I've never been there), but here in the US I have almost never seen a pump that is post-pay. Even at the stations where you pay the clerk, it is always pre-pay.

Indeed it is different. You draw your carriage up and announce your presence with a melodic tootling of the horn.A cheerfully cheeky chappie will emerge from behind a pile of coal and greet you with a jaunty 'Wotcher guv,I'll fill'er up for you' before doffing his flat cap.After having filled it up,you tell him to 'put in on my account,my man'.You may choose also to give a farthing or a ha'penny to the small urchin who has used the grubby cloth around his neck to give your wheel arches a quick spit and polish...

[Slave to the Phone]

A "Ransom of Red Chief" moment?

I am very sure that is why the gas station guy didn't want to have a human as collateral for half an hour!

DOH! I completely missed the "my sweetie" in your first post. Apologies! (and clearly, he is a Man of Many Sterling Qualities if you kept him around for 40 years after that).

No apologies needed and no offense taken! It was seriously funny, he was so focused on the "OMG!!! I just took something and didn't pay for it, this needs to be fixed RIGHT AWAY!!!" part that he forgot the "pay before close time" part which gave him over 4 hours to come up with the money.

That's probably why I still have him around. If he makes a mistake, he owns up to it and wants to make it right asap. And he's still cute (and does the grocery shopping and takes the trash out).

[mjr]

I'm curious how this would work at a full-service station. I mean, you don't get out of your car, and you put the service guy in a weird position, at the same time.

[Deserted]

I don't think I've ever even seen a full-service station in my life. I mean, I'm sure they're out there somewhere, but if there are any in Desert Hell, they're well-hidden.

[gerund]

I then turned to Sasha, my colleague, and asked her to call the police. This has an electrifying effect on Burke, who digs into his pocket and magically produces the cash.

There's a show on English TV called "Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!". They do this same thing show after show. The money collectors on this show are High Court Sheriffs and they have the power to take any goods of value, including cars, jewelry, inventory, tools, ETC.

Many of the debtors go through a cycle of:-

Denial: I don't know anything about this money.
And: I don't owe that much.

Defiance: I'm not paying.
And: You can't make me pay.

Bargaining: Come back tomorrow and I'll see what I can do.
And: I'm broke I can only pay (small fraction)

Anger: It will end badly if you try to take anything. I won't let you take it.
And: You are not allowed to take that.

Lying: Those goods are not mine.
And: That company named on your writ doesn't trade here any more.

Then the money collectors start to pack up the stuff they are taking. Unplugging computers, stacking small stuff in boxes. Sometimes they have to call the removal van.

Then it's a miracle! Suddenly they know all about the debt. The money appears magically. There's a bank account full of money, or they have thousands in their pocket. The miracle of the loaves and the fishes pales in comparison.

It makes me happy every time I see this. (For a short time I worked as a debt collector without any power at all. Most people paid when you asked them nicely. Some did not)

[greek_jester]

It makes me happy every time I see this. (For a short time I worked as a debt collector without any power at all. Most people paid when you asked them nicely. Some did not)

I love that show! There's been a few I've felt sorry for (family whose father walked out but was still listed as living there, so the son had to sprint up the road to get proof he owned the car they were going to take, the younger brother sick of bailiffs turning up for his older brother yet again) but usually I'm cheering the bailiffs on.

[Ironclad Alibi]

A "Ransom of Red Chief" moment?

I am very sure that is why the gas station guy didn't want to have a human as collateral for half an hour!

There is also the "Little Miss Marker" reason, which can be just as bad, or worse.

[Kit-Ginevra]

...If anyone feels like borrowing money,I will happily take cute females as collateral. You really don't have to worry about paying it back too soon....

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I don't think I've ever even seen a full-service station in my life. I mean, I'm sure they're out there somewhere, but if there are any in Desert Hell, they're well-hidden.

They used to be prevalent here in the US back when service stations first started up until the 90's or so, when everything started going toward prepay pumps.

The last full service station we had in Greensboro was called Service Distributors and you pulled up and someone came out and pumped your gas, cleaned the windshield and check your tires if you requested it and also take a quick look at the rear lights.

Now we have prepay pumps everywhere and a scant few places that only take cash (99 percent of our shops here take plastic.) There may be one station that offers full service (there's a BP near Golden Gate Shopping Center that will pump your gas for you, which Mom has used when she's out alone in the car) but that's about the only one I've seen recently.

[Ironclad Alibi]

...If anyone feels like borrowing money,I will happily take cute females as collateral. You really don't have to worry about paying it back too soon....

You might want to specify a species there. But then I don't know your tastes.

[dalesys]

You might want to specify a species there. But then I don't know your tastes.

My daughter would be very upset if I pimped her dog... or her ride!

[Lace Neil Singer]

Update: Burke and Hare returned to the petrol station and were very surprised to learn that they were banned.