The axis on which my world spins just took a 28.76 degree tilt to the left, and I am NOT happy!

This morning at exactly 6:38am my day and possibly my entire life was drastically altered in a most detrimental way. The day started, like any other day, with a shower and ironing my shirt for work. Normal enough so far, I then got my phone off the charger and picked up the camera, wallet, badge and keys. I had all the items needed to get my day off to a great start, I kissed bride and kicked the dog and out the door I went. I did not jalopy ride today as I knew it was suppose to rain and I do not like driving her in the rain. I also did not really kick the dog, that was more for theatrical effect. So down the road I go, I was looking over to the east to see how the sunrise was looking. I am always looking for an opportunity to get a great picture and with the new Nikon S6000 point and shoot so cheap and I keep one with me almost always. I noticed that I might get a good shot once I got to work.

About half way to work I stopped at a Gate Station to get my coffee, a morning ritual for many years. When I smoked I had just enough time to get a smoke in with my coffee before I got to work. I noticed when I walked in that they had some fine looking bananas today so I grabbed one. It has been a few weeks since I have gotten a really good looking and tasting nanner. Some days they are a bit ratty looking but not today. I know that 59 cents is way too much for one nanner but since I did not have any at home I had no choice. I walk around to the coffee station and to my surprise all 6 pots that hold normal coffee were empty, the store was busy and Ms. Martha was working by herself this morning. I quickly ground the beans and started up 4 pots, the max they can brew at one time. I got two more filters ready with coffee in them for when these 4 pots were done. Once the first pot was completed I filled up my cup and then started two more pots of the nectar of the Gods and got in line behind the 4 other folks waiting there to pay. Upon arrival at the counter I told her I had a new cup, I usually have a refill. New cup costs $1.59 but if I refill the cup from yesterday it is only .96.

I went to the wallet for cash and my coffee card. The coffee/drink card is a deal they do, if you by 5 cups of coffee or buy 5 fountain drinks you get the next one for free. I had three full cards in my wallet, I save them for days I have no cash. Just because I am broke does not negate my need for coffee in the morning so proper planning is important here. She tells me my coffee is on the house for catching the coffee station up. I love getting a free cup of coffee, when that happens there is nothing in the day that can ruin my great mood, or so I thought. Just this side of winning the lotto is a free cup of coffee and a free donut, in my opinion, is the start of a perfect day. Ms. Martha has worked for gate for almost 20 years and been at this store for nearly 10, I have made a lot of coffee for her and we know each other well. I have hung around in the store before when a customer was acting fishy or walked around customers when it appeared they might be attempting to shop lift something.

So while I was waiting in line I had already grabbed an empty coffee drink card and was about to place it in my wallet when things started going very wrong. It was so bad that I almost dropped my nanner. The new cards require me to buy six drinks before I get a free one. WHAT!!!! The old cards only required one to purchase five drinks before we got a free one. I started to ask her about what was happening there but the lines were long and I was obviously in shock so I decided not to inquire further at this time. I was in shock, literally in shock, I drove to work in a daze, not understanding what could have happened. In my professional life, I am an agent of change, in the technology field the only constant is change. In my personal life, however I do not adapt as well to changes. I am still pissed off about Captain Crunch changing the berries from red only to red, green, blue and purple and even more pissed about them changing Apple Jacks from orange only to orange and green – what the hell’s up that anyway. There was nothing wrong with those cereals the way they were. I am not sure how many years ago those changes were made but I am still not happy about it.

I stopped into the gate on my way home to get the skinny on the changes, I know the clerks on every shift for that particular store. Well come to find out it has everything to do with the fountain drink costs. Seems those costs have gone up and to keep the balance in costs they needed to step up to 6 drinks before we get one for free. Well I was all over that and asked why is that affecting the coffee refills then I asked??? Well she told me that because they only have one card that was the way it was. I am pretty sure I will be writing a letter to the corporate headquarters of Gate to get the final answer to that question. In the mean time I am now attempting to figure out a way to cope with these drastic changes in my morning routine, I mean don’t they know what impact this change will have on people like me?

Please join in a revolt and let us see if we can effect change at Gate, I want those cards changed back to buying 5 cups and getting one for free. Here is a picture of both cards, get a good look at the card with 5 little cups as it will probably be the last time you ever see them.