English, oedipus, do you read it?

[edible_hat]

On Sunday morning there was a power failure, followed by a power surge when it came back on. This literally blew up some electronics in four of the pumps (which of course let out the magic smoke that makes stuff work).

The screens on those pumps were completely blank, none of the lights worked, and the The register said "not responding". So those pumps had signs put on them - "PUMP NOT IN USE" or "OUT OF ORDER" in six-inch tall letters.

About 85% of people saw the signs before they got out of their cars, and moved to other pumps. Most of the rest got as far as getting out of their cars and lifting the handle before noticing.

Three idiots yelled at me to "turn the pump on!"

After failing to use one of the broken pumps, one guy moved his car to another broken pump and tried to use that one. Both times he had to have the signs pointed out to him.

[Nyx]

Three idiots yelled at me to "turn the pump on!"

D'oh! Now why didn't I think of that?

[edible_hat]

Well it was as on as it was going to get.

[Department stores *sigh*]

most fiting title ever imo

[Lace Neil Singer]

I share your pain; once at the petrol station, a delivery didn't arrive so we ran out of petrol in most of the pumps, with just three remaining. Customers were still trying to use the out of petrol pumps, despite the signs on each one stating that they were not in use, so we used cones and black and yellow tape to fence off the out of use pumps. Did that work? Did it hell; people were driving thru the tape and squishing the cones to get to the out of use ones. *head desk* My collegue spent most of the time running out the door to yell at people for doing that. In the end, we just thought, "F it," and closed the station down.

[Imogene]

most fiting title ever imo

Kind of...
Oedipus killed his father, got his mother as a trophy, slept with her, found out what he'd done, and popped his eyes right out of his head... until the customers do that, the title leaves me sadly wanting.

[Lace Neil Singer]

His kids all died horribly too, if I remember rightly.

[mcjohnwcheese]

Maybe I'm missing the point of the title. Is it Oedipus because he was warned but couldn't avoid his horrible stupid fate?

[depechemodefan]

I guess the reference is that Oedipus was blind. I want an "are you deaf?" story so Goya or Beethoveen could be used in the title.

[mcjohnwcheese]

Ooooh.
Now I get it.

[Spiffy McMoron]

This story reminds me of another one I've read on this board. Sorry, my poor memory forces me to forget the original author.

Essentially, this guy was working at a gas station, and the tanks that held regular fuel were nearly empty--there was some fuel in the bottom of the underground tanks that was kept there to keep the pumps primed and hold any sediment in the tanks. As a result of this, premium fuel was on sale at the cost of regular, and it said this on all of the pumps--"Regular fuel out, premium on sale at the cost of regular".

So business is steady, possibly because people are getting a superior fuel for the regular price. This are going great, customers are happy, when the Unknown Author gets a head scratcher of a customer pull up in his truck. Unknown Author doesn't really pay attention to the guy until he comes up to pay.

Unknown Author: "That'll be $xx.xx"
Customer: *throws the money on the counter* "I just filled up with regular. What do you have to say to that?"

And without waiting for an answer, the customer walks out the door.

[Ulrika]

Actually, it's a Pulp Fiction reference. "English, mother f****er. Do you speak it?" And since Oedipus technically was..... yeah

[depechemodefan]

This story reminds me of another one I've read on this board. Sorry, my poor memory forces me to forget the original author.

Essentially, this guy was working at a gas station, and the tanks that held regular fuel were nearly empty--there was some fuel in the bottom of the underground tanks that was kept there to keep the pumps primed and hold any sediment in the tanks. As a result of this, premium fuel was on sale at the cost of regular, and it said this on all of the pumps--"Regular fuel out, premium on sale at the cost of regular".

So business is steady, possibly because people are getting a superior fuel for the regular price. This are going great, customers are happy, when the Unknown Author gets a head scratcher of a customer pull up in his truck. Unknown Author doesn't really pay attention to the guy until he comes up to pay.

Unknown Author: "That'll be $xx.xx"
Customer: *throws the money on the counter* "I just filled up with regular. What do you have to say to that?"

And without waiting for an answer, the customer walks out the door.

At least it wasn't *throws money on counter* "I lit up while pmping, what do you have to say to that?"

[AdminAssistant]

His kids all died horribly too, if I remember rightly.

Well, the two brothers killed each other. Antigone committed suicide. It's not clear what happened to Ismene.

*is a big theatre geek*

[edible_hat]

I guess the reference is that Oedipus was blind. I want an "are you deaf?" story so Goya or Beethoveen could be used in the title.

Actually, it's a Pulp Fiction reference. "English, mother f****er. Do you speak it?" And since Oedipus technically was..... yeah

Ulkira wins - I tend to say Oedipus instead of motherf***er.