I pity any visitor to the Commonwealth whose first impression is the Lee Service Plaza on the Massachusetts Turnpike. Located 8 miles from the New York border heading eastbound it is supposed to offer full services 24 hours a day. Not exactly.
Last night a group of us went out to Albany for the NCAA College Hockey playoffs. When we left Elliot Spitzer's former residence behind us there was a blinding snowstorm and we saw the aftermath of an accident on I-90 crossing the Hudson that involved at least 10 cars on both sides of the bridge. In any event driving to the Massachusetts border was slow going as there was a snowplow or sander to be found.
Our plan was to stop at a truck stop for late night munchies at the state line but we found out that it had gone out of business a year ago. So we just shrugged knowing there was a rest stop 10 miles away in Massachusetts.
All that was open was a McDonald's with a 'limited' menu you could not change from. The choices consisted of a egg burrito, quarter pounder, double quarter pounder or 10 piece McChicken. Fine..whatever we were starved. The counterperson took our order plus those of about 10 other people. We paid and waited...............and waited...............and waited.
The counterperson wasn't aware that the cook had gone off duty and nobody was cooking food. First he tried to tell us to come back in an hour as there was no way to refund our money ( he said he didn't know how ) Finally he started cooking himself. It was the worst quarter pounder I have ever had and for someone who used to eat at the McD's on Causeway St that was condemned by the city of Boston that was quite a feat.
OK...now it is time to feed the car at the Gulf Station. I don't trust self service credit card pumps so I went inside where 'Skip' a man in his 50's looked bored. I asked to prepay $20 using my card.
"Nope, nope we can't do that. You must use the pump."
Well since the next station was 30 miles away and we were low I grumbled OK. Go to the pump, swipe the card and then it says to select what brand I wanted. Pump would not allow that so back in to see Skip.
"Are you a moron?" Skip demanded. "Just push the button!!!" Finally after 5 minutes he says the pump is broken go use another pump. Now the second pump won't work because the credit card is denied and a quick call to the bank tells me it is because the other sale is still open. OK fine....use another card. Finally we have gas after almost 20 minutes.
I just checked my debit card online......I have $120 dollars in 6 separate sales on the card I finally could not use and the $20 I did finally buy is on the other card. So now I have to find Gulf Oil and call them on Monday to see what can be done.
BTW I must add that something unusual happened at the Michigan-Niagara hockey game. Of course Michigan had their band which only seems to know one song "Hail to the Victors" which they played often last night. Tiny Niagara also had a band but it became obvious to me something was strange as all they were playing was HARVARD fight songs.
I asked a Niagara fan after the game why they use Harvard. His reply was hysterical.
"Oh we don't have a band as we are too small a school. The NCAA hired the RPI band to play for us."
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