On my way to work this morning I noted a gas station with the lowest price I have seen in years. I therefore purposed to stop there on my way home. On my way home I came to a Shell station with that same price so I stopped there. I pulled in behind a car beside a pump and immediately another car pulled in behind me. As I got out and went to the pump I then noticed a much smaller sign that explained the cheap price was for people paying cash. Since I was using a credit card I would have to pay ten cents more per gallon. Since I was virtually parked in I paid the extra two dollars to fill my tank. However I will never stop there again.
It isn’t that I don’t think they should have two prices. I just think it should be clearly indicated up on the big sign. I felt like I had been had. I wonder how many others felt like I did and if they also decided never to come back. Was it worth it for Shell to get an extra two dollars from customers only to permanently lose them? I don’t think so.
As a teacher I make a point of never trapping a student. The class prior to every exam I tell them exactly what I will be looking for and where they can find that information. In all of our dealings we must be transparent. When Jesus first saw Nathaniel coming to Him, Jesus said, “Behold a guileless man. A man with no deception.” What a great thing to have God say about He can, can’t He?
Written by Roger Bothwell on November 20, 2008
Photo by Loek Janssen.
Spring of Life, 901 Signorelli Circle, St. Helena, CA 94574