Too low on fuel to shop around, I pulled into the closest gas station this morning and was greeted by $4.25/gallon premium. Some minutes later, I had my first $70 fillup.

Across the way, a guy in an aging long wheelbase pickup with a NASCAR decal pulled up. He got out, looked at the pump prices and slowly shook his head. We commiserated. After I announced my price breakthrough, he said, “I could only afford nine gallons.”

Advertisement

By his T-shirt, his return trip would take him home to Chicot County. There’ll be scant relief there — if he can make it in his guzzler on nine gallons.

What, really, are working people going to do? We apparently haven’t seen the top yet.

Advertisement

Be a Part of the Fight

Step up and make a difference by subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times, the progressive, alternative newspaper in Little Rock that's been fighting for truth for 50 years. Our tough, determined, and feisty journalism has earned us over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, all of whom value our commitment to holding the powerful accountable. But we need your help to do even more. By subscribing or donating, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be supporting our efforts to hire more writers and expand our coverage. Join us in the fight for truth by subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times today.

Previous article Quotable Next article Riverfest: Teeming