Filling Up

Once Estrela took me to see a beautiful view of the city of Porto Alegre from Morro Santa Teresa, more commonly referred to as T.V. Hill because there's a television station there. 

But on the way there, she realized the gas tank was low so we stopped at the nearest station.

As the attendant filled up the tank, Estrela's friend told me that Brazilians absolutely require the service of gas station attendants.

He said that's how it always was. At some point, gas stations tried to make the move to self-serve, but people wouldn't have it. If they drove into a gas station and saw that they would have to get out of their car to fill up, they'd just drive away and find another one.

And so the gas stations said, "Fine, we'll give you gas station attendants. You'll just have to pay more."

The drivers weren't having any of that either. If they pulled up to a gas station and saw that the prices were raised, they'd drive off and wait until they could find a station with less inflated prices.

Gas stations had to give up. And that's how it is: regular prices and gas station attendants.

The service can be impressive too.

On our return trip from Santa Catarina, Samosa and I stopped at a gas station because the car was nearly on empty. A moça (young woman) filled up the tank, washed our windows and then when we were paying the bill inside the station, served us cafezinhos [espressos].

And she did this all with the most incredible kindness, to the extent that despite feeling awful (yup, I was coming down with pneumonia - woo hoo!) she transformed my mood and I wanted to hug her and everybody else at the gas station and wax poetic about how beautiful fellow human beings can be and how maybe there's hope for us after all. (I settled for saying thanks and waving goodbye with a big grin, guessing that perhaps a hug might have freaked her out a little).

I know, I know, that it was her job to be nice, but she was doing a wonderful job at it. I think she just fit into the category of person who just exudes love no matter what they're doing. I may be exaggerating, but I'm not sure - considering that this took place almost a month ago and I still remember. And so, I am grateful that I got the chance to cross paths with her. ( And yes, Samosa agreed that she was nice too).