Here comes the sun - nektome - анонимная социальная сеть

Here comes the sun

I was half way to Philly when I stopped for gas, coffee and leg stretching somewhere in outskirts of Mt. Pocono. A lonely, semi-abandoned gas station has definitely seen much better days. An old wind-tilted banner was so rusted that it took me a while to read the name of the place "Pesco's Gas and Deli".

It was a beautiful sunny and warm early April afternoon. One of those early spring days when you finally realize that you just made it through another winter, and for some reason that is enough to keep you happy and smiling for the entire day.

Only two out of eight gas pumps were working. I swiped my card and was surprised to see a denial message. I tried another two cards that I have with no success. Getting frustrated I headed to the shack that some would probably call a gas station. Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" was coming out of the old stereo system installed behind the cashier. I could see the mold on the ceiling tiles and it smelled like a public saunas in my home country. A colossal "CCTV Surveillance" warning poster was placed on a tripod right by the entrance. A chubby man in his early 40's with a big MAGA hat (dude it's 2021, the MAGA times are left in 2016, keep up with the fucking redneck trend) was anything but happy to see me. For a moment I though that he was surprised to see a customer in this shithole and was frustrated that I probably hampered him from jerking off. I heard the door opening behind me so I looked back at the entrance, but the store shelving obscured my view. The chubby redneck looked much happier to see this new customer.

-Hey, my cards are denied for some reason, there's something wrong with your machine.

-Is it a chip card, bud? We don't accept chip cards (You guys are really stuck in the last century)

-You take cash? Put thirty bucks on the pump number 2

-You got it bud

As I was barely hiding my anger and walking out of the station, I saw another car parked at the only other pump that was functional. A tiny grey mazda hatchback - one of those cars that leave no doubt that the driver is a lady. The windows were rolled down and I could hear "The Beatles - Here Comes the Sun" playing out of it. "Good choice" - I thought, the sun is really out for the first time since God knows when.

-Nuraz ve ned olbae?f...

I heard a voice behind my back probably talking to me. she was beautiful in her late twenties, with sparkly-white smile. I couldn't quite understand what she said.

-Excuse me, ma'am?

-You speak Russian?

-I do

-Ну разве не долбаебы, говорю? Карты с чипами не принимают, средневековье ей-Богу.

-Вы не поверите и я об этом подумал, а как вы узнали что я говорю по-русски?

-А у вас стекла приоткрыты и из машины Чайф играл, Оранжевое Настроение. Песня прям в под настроение, хороший выбор.