[ajmargarine]

Visiting Memphis. First impressions.

--I went to prepay for a tank of gas. We don't prepay where I come from, so I always look when I'm in a new place to see the little sticker that says please prepay. When I don't see the little sign I assume I'm good to go and stand there for 60 seconds waiting for the pump to activate before going inside. Evidently it's assumed in Memphis that gas is prepay.

--I was standing at the gas counter with my wallet open. I pull out a twenty and drop it on the counter. I pull out a five and drop it on top of the twenty and say "pump thirteen." The guy behind the counter was talking to a co-worker. He picked up my money and said "Is there any reason you're throwing the money at me?" "What?", I say. "Why are you throwing the money at me?" I told him I just dropped it on the counter but sincerely apologized anyway. The guy was black.

--The town I grew up in in small town MN was literally 100% white. I never even talked to a non-white person until college. I went to college in the Fargo ND area which is about 98% white and have lived there most of my life. So, when I travel I am soooo conscious of race. I wondered if race was involved in that cashier's jab at me.

--Dude in the parking lot at the gas station was selling Red Bull's for a buck a can out of his trunk.

--I didn't realize how close Memphis was to Tunica, MS and all their casinos.