The sting of shame

Most people that know me will tell you that I have little shame. I will, with gusto, regale you with tales of how I have unequivocally screwed things up in a grand manner. I try not to be too serious about anything and poking fun at my self is an easy way to live out that mantra.
So Yesterday morning Big Al and I decided that rather than drive to Landahl for the spoke pony extravaganza we would save some money (and face) by going to clinton instead to ride with Brian Snyder after his crit race. We slept in from the night before, and I was feeling kinda rough from Tylers B-day party. Well we are throwing bikes on the car and getting ready, to roll, and I see that the car is low on fuel. I scrutinize it for a moment and detirmine that we should get fuel on the way. We jump in and head outa manhattan. As we are rollin outa town Al asks if we are gonna get fuel. I frown at the inflated gas prices in manhattan and say "nah, we will get fuel on I70".
Those are famous last words in the state of KS.
There are no gas stations on I70 between Ft. Riley and Maple hill (15 miles west of topeka). Well there are but they all appear to have gone outa business in the past decade. It blows my mind how a gas station on the side of a major US interstate can not be profitable. only in KS.
We ran out of gas about a mile from the 24/7 quickstop at maple hill.
The sting of shame came in the form of getting pelted with sand and pebbles as one spins furiously down the side of the interstate on a bike geared 32-20 as trucks whip by.
My chagrin was met with further indignation when the ladies at the gas station laughed and said the had never seen anyone come off the exit ramp on a bike. It probably did not help that I looked like a Iowa hog farmer as I was wearing bib overalls. I failed to share their mirth. In my mind I imagined myself leaping across the counter and throttling this woman, but I could also see the headlines in the newspaper (CRAZED HOG FARMER ON BICYCLE MAULS FILLING STATION ATTENDENT)
So after I paid like $9 for a 1Gal gas can and 3.19 for gas (which was no cheaper than in Manhattan) I turn to see my car driving towards me.
Turns out the car ran out of fuel as we were coming down a hill on 70. The car stopped on a flat section so as the fuel settled back to the tank it was again able to reach the intake.
This seemed to amuse the cashier ladies even more, but they did give me a refund on the gas can so their lives were spared.
We went on the ride at clinton and had a smashing time, and on our return west we had dinner at puffys icehouse (its worth the 2 mile drive off the interstate).
So all in all its a situation that I can laugh about....Now.