Weigel's to “Exxoff” to Weigel's within Life's Context (published 6-30-2019; updated 11-9-2022)

11/9/2022 Update

Early this morning on 11/9/2022, website analytics showed that this article was viewed once in the last 24 hours. Who viewed it? I don't know. I reread what I'd published on Sunday, 6/30/2019.

Today, I added this update, and I improved the grammar and style in the original article, which follows below. I wrote this article in a hurry. The topic was “life, such as it was,” from March to June 2019, in the context of eleven gasoline fill-ups.

Eleven Fill-Ups in the Context of Life

On Thursday, 3/28/2019, as had been known for a while, the Weigel’s in our “great metropolis” closed. The building would be razed, and a new, improved, and larger store would be built on the same property. I was driving home from “the Hadean realm” on an appropriately rainy day and saw the closed signs.

In late March, that meant that this Appalachian Irishman had to buy 100% gasoline at the Exxon, or “Exxoff” as I call it, which is across the road. Their sole 100% gasoline pump stands alone in a corner. I don't burn 10% sugared gasoline in my 2006 Frontier. I didn't use it in my dearly departed 1995 Nissan pickup.

At the “Exxoff,” you go in, state 100% gasoline fill-up, leave a credit card, fill up, return, and pay. For the following ten times, within the context of life, as noted, I enjoyed the dubious pleasure of filling up at the “Exxoff.” The dates are usually on Saturdays. My “bionic” right foot certainly did not like all the extra steps on the asphalt and concrete. Eleven fill-ups are listed. One was in Morristown.

(1) Saturday, 3/30/2019, first tank: After my solo hike at Norris Dam State Park, I filled up for the first time. My “bionic” right foot is not bothered as much by hiking in the woods on natural soil. Asphalt and concrete aggravate my foot harshly.

(2) Saturday, 4/6/2019, second tank: I got a haircut and shopped at the Tractor Supply. Afterward, I filled up my truck.

Earlier in the week, on Tuesday, 4/2/2019, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman had minor outpatient surgery to remove a “lump of fat,” as I call it. The next day, I took another day off from work to tend to Mrs. Appalachian Irishman, who was recovering well. Also, on that Wednesday, I had a tooth repatched. Back on 2/24/2012, a lower left front tooth was patched. That patch had popped off. After the dental visit, I hiked “My Mountain,” House Mountain, for the 158th time!

(3) Saturday, 4/13/2019, third tank: For other details, see the 4/13/2019 article, “4-13-2019: Papaw Ferrell's Birthday in 1880 & Ruger Replaced.” Mrs. Appalachian Irishman was with me. Yes, I also filled up my truck with gasoline.

(4) The fourth tank was on 4/21/2019, Resurrection Sunday. The day is usually called Easter. The 4/21/2019 article, “Good Friday – Passover 4-19-2019,” describes our visit the day before with my youngest brother and his family.

In the afternoon on Resurrection Sunday, after my wife and I visited with her family, I went alone to buy gasoline. A very friendly female employee, about my age, was working the cash register. She tried to upsell me a corn dog. I declined politely. I had told my in-laws, before leaving, that I needed to “hunt me a corn dog.” I, however, did eat a bite before leaving their house.

The overly friendly female employee, on Resurrection Sunday of all days, tried to “upsell” herself! She stated, with a smile and a blink, “I can give you whatever you want!” That’s the first pass that any woman has made at me, since I acquired my “bionic body parts” in 2016! That was just funny! Mrs. Appalachian Irishman, however, was not amused, once I told her!

Saturday, 4/27/2019, note: I filled up with 100% gasoline in west Morristown, after Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I enjoyed a fine visit with three good friends and one friend's father. By the way, that's also the day when a CD got stuck in my truck's CD player. Does anyone know how to get it out? I tried a few tricks that didn't work. I’ll pay good money for help! Yes, it’s still stuck!

(5) Sunday, 5/5/2019, fifth “Exxoff” tank: It was a rainy day, two days after a good friend's birthday. The 100% gasoline tank was not covered. I got wet filling up my truck in the rain.

(6) Saturday, 5/11/2019, sixth tank: I conversed by phone with the father of the son, who mows the yard at the homeplace. They are in business together. We had a fine conversation! Afterward, I hauled off the trash and recycling, as usual, before filling up my truck's tank.

(7) Saturday, 5/18/2019, seventh tank: Two days before the fill-up, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I celebrated, within the context of routine workdays, our thirty-third wedding anniversary. Aside from getting gasoline on this day, we also shop-vacuumed the basement and tried to patch a leaking pipe in the basement.

(8) Saturday, 5/25/2019, eighth tank: Mrs. Appalachian Irishman was with me for this fill-up. She was hunting for the previously mentioned female flirt! The flirter wasn't there. Before the fill-up, we visited with a good neighbor and friend, who was hospitalized in the intensive care unit. We could only visit at a distance.

(9) Saturday, 6/1/2019, ninth tank: This was the first day of meteorological summer! Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I visited our good neighbor and his wife. He was still hospitalized but in a regular room. Several days later, he was able to return home, fully recovered.

Afterward, we bought gasoline, and Mrs. Appalachian Irishman hunted for the flirter! The flirter was there, but Mrs. Appalachian Irishman didn’t see her! I saw her. I kept my mouth shut! It was just funny!

I still haven’t told my “long-suffering” wife. I don’t want her to go to jail for assaulting the flirter! If she has read this article, she hasn't yet made a comment!

Finally, we went to the IGA. I walked from the IGA to the nearby Dollar General Store to buy a new beard trimmer. My “bionic” right foot and knee took the pounding on the asphalt but “talked” to me later.

(10) Sunday, 6/9/2019, tenth tank: For a serious event, see today's article, “Life Changes – Hunt Down the SOB!” It involves my youngest brother and his family.

Today was also the eleventh and final 100% gasoline fill-up at the “Exxoff.” Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I had visited her folks. The weather was cooler, so she stayed in the truck. The female flirter was there again! You should have come into the store with me, dear!

Conclusion

The brief article “6/15/2019 Gas Update!” mentions my first purchase of 100% gasoline at the new and improved Weigel's. Yesterday, Saturday, 6/29/2019, I filled up at the new store for the third time.

By the way, the female flirter doesn’t work at the new Weigel’s!

As another point of humor, my desk calendar tells me that tomorrow, July 1st, is Canada Day. Why is that on the calendar? What is Canada Day?

As a closing thought, I have planned a four-day “retirement,” or vacation time off from work, from July 4th through 7th. Let’s see what happens!