The latest increase in the price of petrol sparked a memory of a conversation I had with an older gentleman many years ago. Let's call him "Virgil".
As people go, he was lovely old soul, but more than a little naive and more than a little sheltered.
He'd only been out of Perth county once... when a time share company sent him a mailer stating that he'd been one of a lucky few selected to receive a chance to win a trip to Hawaii (if he came in to hear a presentation in Toronto.) He was convinced he'd won the trip and nothing would convince him otherwise.
Of course there was also the time he bought a $5000.00 air filtration system for his rented farmhouse over the phone.
His life "savings" consisted of a large old trunk filled with loose change*.
He also used to buy Kraft Dinner (but only when it was on sale) and then throw out the cheese packets (he didn't like the cheese).
But those are all stories for another day.
Anyway, one day I was giving Virgil a ride home and as we passed a gas station, he remarked on the increase of the price of gas. I should mention here that Virgil had three teeth and spoke in mumbles. The following conversation is the best I can figure as to what he said.
Virgil: My oh my. Look at 'dem prices. Dat's criminal dat is. Yer see, if dey want people to buy more gas, dey should lower dem prices or have a sale.
Me: Well Virgil, as I see it, the prices of petroleum products are only going to increase...
I then when on to explain in detail how supply and demand worked, and that ultimately as the world's demand for petrol increased and the available resources dwindled, the prices were only likely to increase. His answer has forever haunted me.
Virgil: Oh dey'll never run out er gas. Dey just opened up another well the other day.
*Guess who had to help roll it and cart it to the bank when Virgil died. When I was younger and remarked on the uselessness of pennies, my dad would say "I wish I had a million of them". A million pennies is $10,000... that's 20,000 roles. And from experience I can tell you with complete certainty... you most certainly do not want a million pennies, particularly if you have to role them and cart them to the bank. $500 dollars in pennies was sufficient to convince me of that.
As people go, he was lovely old soul, but more than a little naive and more than a little sheltered.
He'd only been out of Perth county once... when a time share company sent him a mailer stating that he'd been one of a lucky few selected to receive a chance to win a trip to Hawaii (if he came in to hear a presentation in Toronto.) He was convinced he'd won the trip and nothing would convince him otherwise.
Of course there was also the time he bought a $5000.00 air filtration system for his rented farmhouse over the phone.
His life "savings" consisted of a large old trunk filled with loose change*.
He also used to buy Kraft Dinner (but only when it was on sale) and then throw out the cheese packets (he didn't like the cheese).
But those are all stories for another day.
Anyway, one day I was giving Virgil a ride home and as we passed a gas station, he remarked on the increase of the price of gas. I should mention here that Virgil had three teeth and spoke in mumbles. The following conversation is the best I can figure as to what he said.
Virgil: My oh my. Look at 'dem prices. Dat's criminal dat is. Yer see, if dey want people to buy more gas, dey should lower dem prices or have a sale.
Me: Well Virgil, as I see it, the prices of petroleum products are only going to increase...
I then when on to explain in detail how supply and demand worked, and that ultimately as the world's demand for petrol increased and the available resources dwindled, the prices were only likely to increase. His answer has forever haunted me.
Virgil: Oh dey'll never run out er gas. Dey just opened up another well the other day.
*Guess who had to help roll it and cart it to the bank when Virgil died. When I was younger and remarked on the uselessness of pennies, my dad would say "I wish I had a million of them". A million pennies is $10,000... that's 20,000 roles. And from experience I can tell you with complete certainty... you most certainly do not want a million pennies, particularly if you have to role them and cart them to the bank. $500 dollars in pennies was sufficient to convince me of that.
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