So Funny I Had To Share This

(From The PDX Media Insider Blog)

A local (PORTLAND, OREGON) TV reporter relayed this story. The names have been removed to protect the innocent (besides, they know who they are).

We were our way to our PM story in SALEM last night and on the way we stopped at the SHELL/TA TRUCK STOP off THE DONALD EXIT. After giving the gas station attendant the card to gas up the live truck we both headed inside to pick something up to eat.

On our way back out, the attendant was rushing in to get us with a white faced panic look.

"Ummm -- we need you to come outside," he said.

"I think we put the gas in the wrong hole."

Neither THE PHOTOGRAPHER or I had any idea of what he was talking about. As we rounded the live truck there was AN ASSISTANT MANAGER on her hands and knees looking at the bottom of the van which was trickling gas from everywhere.

"I just hope we didn't damage anything," she says with the same panicked tone.

At this point, we still have no idea what is going on.

THE ATTENDANT, who told us later it was his first day, then pointed to where he put the gas -- not in the gas tank opening. He had unscrewed the silver cap that covers the opening leading straight into the interior of the live van. The opening that's used from time to time to run cable from the inside of the truck to the outside.

When it finally hit us what he had done, we ran to the sliding door of the van, whipped it open and gas came dumping out as if it were a flooded basement.

THE PHOTOGRAPHER quickly grabbed his camera bag that because of its position in the van was actually turned into a makeshift GAS TANK. When he began lifting the camera out at least a gallon of gas splashed out with it.

In his first day jitters, this 16 year-old, managed to pump a little more than 10 gallons into the inside of UNIT 20.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT was called and the truck became a HAZMAT SCENE. Thousands of dollars in damage was done to every piece of equipment inside -- including one JONES OF NEW YORK SUIT COAT. The poor kid sat with his head in his hands, looked up at THE PHOTOGRAPHER and said, "Do you think I'm going to have to pay for all of this myself?"

But by far the best statement of the day came from THE ASSISTANT MANAGER when she asked THE PHOTOGRAPHER, "How much gas did he pump? Because I won't charge you for that. That's gas is free."

Here are some comments folks posted:

COMMENTS
* I assume it was unleaded gas? With all that has gone on at KOIN since EMMIS took over in 2000 I can only imagine this recent incident only elicited a "today's only Tuesday, right?"

* As CEO of EMMIS COMMUNICATION CORPORATION, I don't find the previous BLOG humorous in ANY way, shape or form. We're going through a transitional period right now and besides, I have a balloon payment to make in October.

* Poor kid, damn.

* Filling it with gas? If the public only knew about the bad behavior that goes on in those vans lol. Well, they might think we're more human, and less like we came from pods.

* Just be glad there weren't any smokers around!

* Unfortunately it was KOIN's new van that got "gassed" and not "chucky!" They've been trying to get rid of that lemon for years!

* Thankfully we live in a state where only professionals are allowed to do the delicate work of gas-pumping.

* Alright, so that was probably a first day that guy will never forget. Hopefully, he learned a valuable lesson he won't forget -- pay attention.

* Well, I mean, somebody's gotta ask -- was there film on that at 11?

* I wonder if your purchasing dept will find it odd that someone put 25 car air fresheners on a company card.

* It might be obvious to the poster on July 15th, but the camera took a bath. A total loss, at $27K.

* The van will likely be a total loss, as well. More to gut and stuff than rebuild, around $150K.

* An engineer for KATU was heard to ask, "What's the fuel capacity of UNIT 20 with the windows rolled up?"

[This is damn funny, Gerstel. Thanks for passing it along. I'm just trying to picture the reaction on DON's FACE if somebody ever did this to his truck.]

Tom Gerstel, thanks for the post.