A Remembrance Of A Miser's Past

I remember some great things that used to be free and now either no longer exist, or cost money. The Time Lady, for instance. We used to love calling her when we were kids. For some reason we often needed to know what time it was but didn't have access to a watch or clock. I'm not sure why we needed to know what time it was so badly, it's not like any of us had jobs to be at or anything. Anyway, I remember how soothing her voice was, "At the tone, the time will be 5:45pm and 20 seconds," BEEP, "at the tone the time will be 5:45pm and 21 seconds..." You could also use her for all of your fake phone calling needs, such as "I'm calling dad right now! You're going to be in so much trouble..." And then there was free information. When I was in the fourth or fifth grade I had a friend who wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. She thought you could call information with ANY question you might have, and information would know the answer and tell you. I knew that wasn't so, but she would never believe me. One time we were arguing about whether or not water had any calories. (We must have been really bored.) Don't ask me why she thought water did, but she did, and she decided to call information to confirm her point (or her idiocy). The operator proceeded to give her a lecture about how information was not to be used for frivolous questions but for telephone number related questions only, and blah blah blah, and by the way water has no calories. And so I was right times two.

The thing that Sparky misses most is free air and water at all gas stations. Now at most stations you have to pay 50 cents for air. There are very few exceptions; however, Sparky has found  a place in our area that still offers free air. And that is where he goes for all of his tire pressure needs, which aren't that many come to think of it. But it is nice to know that there is free air when  you need it! It makes a Miser sleep a little more soundly at night.