I was going through my journals and found this experience which I found rather comical and typical as to how we worked...
Amber, Jennifer (Amber's older sister) and I went to a Single Adult Meeting. On the way back we attempted to fill their car up with gas. I must pause here to say something about the Graham family vehicles. It is told in some circles of the Graham family curse. No vehicle owned by them could last more than a year. If memory serves me, in a ten year period they bought and buried 12 vehicles.
This particular car (June of 1991) had only one door which opened properly. The driver's door had to be opened from the outside. This was a typical "feature" for Graham (and Pilon for that matter) vehicles.
We pulled up to the gas pump and the conversation went something like this:
Amber & Stacy simultaneously - "I'll check the oil."
Stacy and Amber commence arguing (which, of course, was neither heated nor worrisome but rather, preformed in playful jest). After much bantering back and forth it is unanimously decided they do it together - arm in arm. They get out of the car and stand before the hood. Stacy gives a firm bang on the hood (doing what she no doubt saw The Fonz do on Happy Days). The expected "popping of the hood" does not happen.
Stacy - "Jen, pop the hood."
Jennifer is unable to maneuver the pulling of the hood-releaser-thing-a-ma-jig unless the driver's side door is opened.
Jeniffer - "Open my door first."
Stacy can not hear Jennifer who is unable to roll down the window, another hallmark of this rather special automobile.
Stacy - "Open the hood Jen! Pull the handle-thing."
Jennifer - "I can't unless you open my door!"
Stacy bangs commandingly on the hood (and no doubt, hurts her delicate hand)- "Open sesame! Jen pop the hood!"
Jennifer yells at the top of her lungs (when Jen wanted to get at the top of her lungs, she could really holler) - "Open my door!"
The door is opened and the hood popped. Amber and Stacy both try to lift the hood. It does not budge. They try again with no success. Jennifer suggests they unlodge the latch underneath first. They unlatch, lift and stare blankly into the belly of the car.
Amber - "Uh, so, where's the oil?"
stacy - "I dunno, is that it?"
Amber - "No, I think that's the battery."
Simultaneously - "Jen! Do you know what the oil looks like?"
Jennifer - "Does the car take unleaded or Supreme?"
Amber - "unleaded I think."
Amber tries to reach the oil - a session of little leaps and bounces and failed feeble attempts to get at the oil (what with being vertically challenged and all) which remains maddeningly out of reach. Jen helps while Stacy tries to fill up the car.
Stacy, after checking both sides of the car - "Where's the gas tank hole?"
Jennifer - "In the back."
Stacy pulls the gas gun around to the back and is yanked short. Regaining her composure she pulls on the hose again -unable to persuade more length.
Stacy - "We need to move the car forward, the hose won't reach."
Jennifer - "The hose is wrapped around the tank."
Amber comes to help. Once all is untangled and the nozzle inserted no gas comes out. All attempts are tried again. No luck and what is more, no gas either.
Stacy , "Maybe you're standing on the hose?"
Amber - "Maybe the station's tank is empty?"
Without warning a mans voice sails overhead - "Lift the arm on the tank."
Both girls freeze - the voice seems to come from nowhere. "You have to turn the tank on."
Amber & Stacy notice the gas attendant in the window. Stacy lifts the arm, Amber presses the trigger - gas sprays all over (apparently the station has plenty of petroleum). Jennifer comes to the rescue, takes the hose as gas sprays everywhere.
All three girls break out in laughter. The car is filled. The oil checked and the few bystanders unfortunate enough to witnessed the whole ordeal went home wondering if the 'women drivers' sterotype had just been proven an irrevocable fact.