Who remembers those words?
I do. There was a time, believe it or not, when a well-dressed attendant would meet you at the gas pumps.
“Fill ‘er up?” he’d ask.
“No, let’s see how much I’ve got.” Two one-dollar bills and 2 quarters.
“Let’ me have two dollars and fifty cents worth,” I’d answer.
That much wouldn’t take you far these days, but in 1962 gasoline sold for around 31 cents a gallon. So, $2.50 would get me a half tank, enough to drive up to Anthony’s Creek and fish for smallmouth with plenty left over for a date at the movies and a visit to Jim’s Drive In.
Every gas station had at least one full-time attendant on the job, dressed in a spiffy uniform and a hat. You never ever pumped your own gas. They did. They also cleaned your windshield with a squeegee, checked the oil dipstick and opened the radiator cap to check the levels add a little water if necessary.
Which station you stopped at was critical. People were very loyal to specific brands such as Esso, Texaco, Shell, Gulf, Phillips 66 and Sinclare. Each station had several mechanic bays with mechanics on duty in case of an emergency. Not only was gas just 31 cents a gallon, but you also received Green Stamps or other promotional items like plates and saucers and free road maps.
There were no major credit cards in those days, but many gas companies issued cards for their own brands to encourage shoppers to stick with them. Mama Ida, my grandmother, gave me an Esso card when I turned 16 which she said I could use once a month if I needed, and I usually “needed”.
Today, gas stations often charge to use the tire pressure gauge and if there’s an attendant on hand, he or she is inside working the cash register.
Things have changed a lot since that time when you heard, “Fill ‘er Up” at a gas station.
