My Fear of Gas....

Stations, that is.

I have always had this completely irrational fear of gas stations.

I used to drive around for a long time in order to find a full-serve station, as opposed to a self-serve station. Why? Because I always feel like a complete idiot filling my car up with gas.

But when full-serve stations went the way of the VCR, I knew I would have to learn how to fill my car up with gas myself. I got the DVD player and I learned how to pump my own gas.

So I know how to fill up gas now. But, still I feel like the biggest moron at gas stations.

Ok, swipe my credit card. Ok, grab the pump. Ok, open the place (what the heck is it called?) where I put the pump into my car. Ok, hold it down. Ok, don't forget to close up the part where I just stuck the pump. Ok, put the lever down. Ok, did that all work? Ok, am I going to blow up now?

By the time I get my recipet, I'm completey sweating with nerves, thinking, "I'm so glad that's over with!"

I dread filling my gas tank up almost as much as going to the dentist. About two months ago, the fiance actually had to come rescue me, because my car died, because it was out of gas.

He was not happy. "How long has the gas light been on?" he asked.

"Um, about two days. But usually I can get three days out of it," I told him.

"Idiot," he said. (Ok, he didn't say that. But I know that's what he was thinking.)

Anyway, I learned my lesson. As soon as the gas light goes on, I'm supposed to fill up. Because sometimes you can get three days out of it, and sometimes, apparently, you can not.

Here's the thing. Even at full-serve gas stations, I get completely nervous. Yesterday, with my gas light on, I spotted a full serve gas station and pulled up, my heart pounding

Now, literally, I can interview anyone in the world, and not feel as nervous as I do talking to the guy (or gal) who fills up my gas tank.

"What can I do for you today?" the gas man asked me.

"Um, can you, um, please, um, fill it up, um, please, um, with premium," I managed to stutter out. I do not know gas lingo. I feel like an idiot saying, "Filler up please." I am always shocked when the bill comes to $78.

Gas man came back and asked me if I'd like an oil change. To which I responded, blushing, "No thanks."

I'm not sure why the people at gas stations intimidate me so much. But they do. Gas and I do not go well together.

I'm not saying that filling up gas is something the man should do in a relationship. I'm just saying filling up gas is not good for my stress level...

Please share your irrational fears...