SKINNUM JOES GAS AND TIRE SERVICE

SEAJAY AND WILLA THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES
SKINNUM JOES, GAS AND TIRE REPAIRS
After crossing the border we realized that we had no Canadian money and that we were getting a little low on gas.
“Let’s stop at the next place we see and get some of our money changed and maybe we can get some gas and get the back bumper of the Tracker repaired”.
“I seen a sign that said “Skinnum Joes” up ahead, maybe we could stop there and get some gas”.
There was a sign written in crayon on the front of the gas pump that said
“EXCHANGE RATE 124, 11/14 (plus tax) AMERICAN”
I eased up to the pump.
A guy in coveralls walked up the window on the van.
“How much gas you need pal”?
“Give me 15 gallons please and do you exchange American money”?
“We sell gas by the liter”
“How many liters to the gallon”
“Oh, about 3 and 23/42nds, give or take a little”
“Sooooo, how much do I need for 15 gallons”?
“I ain’t sure. We can figure that out later”.
He stuck the nozzle in the gas filler and pressed the lever. Now it should be understood that some of these pumps up in Canada are the old mechanical type pump that still work on the “rotating number” system and this was one of those pumps. As he squeezed the lever the pump started running and the longer he held the lever the faster the numbers went. At somewhere between three and five gallons the numbers became a blur and the pump started to shake violently.
“Guess I need a re-balance on the numbers again”.
“I’ll go in and get some money changed over into Canadian dollars so I can pay for the gas”.
To be sure I would get some small bill in Canadian money I gave the guy behind the counter four one hundreds, five twenties, two fifties, three tens, two fives, three ones and a hand full of change. The guy behind the counter smiled at me and said that since I was getting a rather large amount changed that Skinnum Joe would split the “exchange tax” so I would save money.
“That will be fifty four dollars and seventy cents pal”.
“Soooo, how many gallons did I get”?
“Well, if you take the liters and multiply them by three and eleven twenty-fourths and then you divide that by the number of gallons you wanted and then you divide that by the exchange rate of one twenty four plus a little and deduct the exchange tax from that you will see how much this is in American money and you will find I gave you a real bargain on the gas because you are our first customer of the day”.
I thanked Skinnum Joe and walked back to the coach.
“Ask him if he can fix the bumper on the Tracker”.
“He don’t fix bumpers, he just sells gas and fixes flats. We can get it fixed later”.

We headed north. The adventure continues ……
Seajay the sailor man ..................
GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS AND BRING THEM HOME SAFE AND SOON
GOD BLESS OUR VETS FOR THEIR SERVICE TO THIS GREAT NATION.