Annoyance

Do you ever learn a new word in the morning and seem to hear it again--seemingly for only the second time--later that day?

Well, I sort of had one of those experiences when I frequented Holly's Super Gas on Main Street yesterday afternoon and fired up my computer this morning.

My wallet is largely paperless, so I was a little harrumphed yesterday when I was informed by the gas pumper petroleum distribution technician at Holly's that the gas station had added a ten-cent surcharge per gallon to customers paying with a debit or credit card. So instead of paying $4.05 per gallon yesterday, I paid $4.15. And the novel idea was further reinforced when I watched this Yahoo! news link about the phenomenon this morning.

Hence my opening reference to the a-name-for-this-phenomenon-has-to-exist experience of a learning a new fact only to have it slap you in the face in the brief future.

Anyway, to be fair, Holly's surcharge isn't hidden if you know what to look for (there is a small sign below the advertised price that reads 'CASH'). Nor is their .10 fee relatively outrageous or simply a cynical ploy to lure the customer inside to splurge on, say, a Hostess Lemon Pie.

Nevertheless, it still is annoying.

- John C.L. Morgan