The Gas Saga

Getting the LP gas tank on your roof filled should not be an emotional, time consuming and gut wrenching experience, but somehow it was. It all started a few weeks ago at a neighborhood meeting when someone suggested all of the homes in our 24 home neighborhood use the same gas company. It seems there was a company ripping us all off and somehow (and I’m not sure how) using the same company would help.

That immediately set up a dilemma for us because we had gotten to know Arturo, shared some pleasantries and given him a Bible. The last time he was here he mentioned that he kept it in the truck and read it. What should we do – but a community decision was a community decision.

So, we waited. We waited to hear who this selected company was hoping against hope that it would be our driver. Meanwhile the gas was running dangerously low, dangerously low that is if you want a hot shower or cooked food. That’s when all the “fun” started.

I had procrastinated as long as possible to decide what to do when a gas truck showed up in the neighborhood. Not only did it show up, but it was at the lady’s house that had made the original suggestion. I’m on the phone praying with a friend when my wife runs up the steps to say, “They’re on the roof; we can get gas!” Just as prayer ended, I unlocked our cage and climbed the ladder like a mad man to get up there before they leave.

Putting in an order to fill our tank, I waited to make sure that everything is above board and honest. Just as they finish our neighbor’s tank and put the hose on our tank, Diana yells up to the roof, “Cancel the order. Our neighbor just came over in tears to say they had cheated her and not to get gas.” So I tell them, “I changed my mind; we don’t want gas today.” That went over like a lead balloon.

Diana then went over to our neighbor to learn the details. Then she went with that neighbor and woke up another neighbor to ask for her suggestion of which company to use, and then went to a third neighbor to finally get the needed information.

If things weren’t crazy enough, I decide to instead call and request Arturo which resulted in a “how is this going to go over with the neighbors who just helped us out” conversation. It wasn’t a very good breakfast. I ended up calling to cancel him too (my second cancelation of the day). Then still needing gas, I called the suggested driver for my third gas order of the day.

I'm leaving out details but suffice to say we now have a full tank. Sound a little crazy? As my wife said, “You can write a post about it, but no one would really understand.”