My day was full, though absolutely enjoyable; I met many wonderful people. [Wink, wink, nod, nod to all of those people that I met.  You know who you are; there could be a Brucie in the making for you :-).]   I was driving home from my office at around 11 p.m.  The gas tank was near empty.  For convenience, I decided to get gas at a Cumberland Farms along the way.  I pay at the pump, of course.  As I'm filling the car with gas, the pump stops suddenly after dispensing $3.11 worth of petrol.  The screen on the pump said that I should "see attendant inside."  Inside?  No, not there.  Inside the store?  Uh uh, no can do, sorry.  I am staying out here where the living is easy, care free and under my control.

I shouted through the door to the attendant "the screen says that I should see you.  Can you come out here?"  "Huh" the attendant responded.
Me:                "Can you come out here please.  The screen on the monitor says that
                       I need to see you.  The pump stopped working."
Attendant:       "Sir, I've got other customers here.  I can't leave the store.  The card
                        reader outside couldn't read the magnetic strip on your credit
                        card.  I'll need to swipe it in here on the register."
Me:                "Uh, er, mmm, oh, can't you come get it from me?"
Attendant:       "Huh?"

I set foot inside the dirt world in order to pay for my gasoline.  Cumberland Farms gas pump technology forced my hand.  I tried to not look at the candy shelves below the counter.  I believed that if I could keep my gaze focused on the attendant and the credit card reader that everything would be ok.  I'm not really here, I thought.  There's no place like online; there's no place like online; there's no place like online, I repeated to myself as I clicked my heels together.  I wish that I could say that I woke up and realized that it was a dream (and you were there, and you were there, and you were there too...it was terrible Auntie Emm...oh, there there Brucie); alas, the $28 for a fill-up was real.