Caleb stops at a gas station

It sounds simple, Caleb notices the gas gauge in his little car is below a 1/4 tank. Having been taught by his father that it is better to be safe than sorry, Caleb decides to stop at the next gas station to fill up. That decision is easy, and then it is all downhill from there.

Caleb rolls into the Shell station that comes up on the right at the corner of Commerce Blvd and Kedron Rd. The station is on his way home from work and he is a regular. They have his favorite gas station coffee and pretty good donuts, and the staff is always entertaining. Flush with cash tips from his lunch shift at Chili's Caleb goes inside to prepay for his gas.

Once inside the battle begins. It is a hot afternoon in Tennessee, a summers day full of shine and humid like a wet towel. Inside the store it is a right turn to the cashier, the most direct way to get gas. To the left are hundreds of drinks. Like a choose your own adventure book, this is a pivotal moment. With all the will power stolen by the summer heat Caleb goes left.

Having just made a commitment 3 days ago to making healthier decisions, Caleb heads straight for the water. As his eyes scan the shelves a little devil pops up on his shoulder and whispers,

"a Coca-Cola would be so refreshing on such a hot day, or maybe that new can of cold pressed coffee with the black can. Water is so boring, and you drink so much of that already. You deserve a treat today."

"But I am trying to make better decision", Caleb answers back in a veiled attempt to not give in right away. Playing hard to get with the devil is something Caleb is good at. Both of them know he is going to give in eventually, but Caleb doesn't want to make it too easy.


4 minutes and what seemed like a lifetime later, Caleb walks up to the counter with a red fruit punch Gatorade, because somehow in the debate with the devil a Gatorade was a compromise both sides could live with. After paying the clerk $34.25, Caleb is content pumping his gas knowing he has another week of gas to get around with and enjoying the sweet taste of his refreshing Gatorade.