Today, I learned something very important. It really sucks to have to fill your car in terrible weather. Not so much because you have to get out of the car and brave the elements. When I got into my car after work, the fuel needle had managed to drop another 1/8 of a tank, so I was fairly close to empty. No problem, there’s a gas station on the way home, about a mile from my office. The trip to the gas station was otherwise uneventful; a minor detour on a familiar route.

Then the unexpected happened. Gas station: Check. Currency: Check. Fuel: Well, I doubt they were running out. The trick, then, is to get the fuel into the vehicle.

Unfortunately, the fuel door had frozen shut. After about 5 minutes of dislodging ice chunks, I managed to get the door open. No small feat when part of the process is using heat from your almost-frozen fingers to heat the ice enough to melt it away.

I briefly pondered the wisdom of applying an alternate form of heat. Then the thought of what would happen if I were to apply some sort of flame to that particular area. Somehow, I doubt it’s safe to hold a flame to the same area that fuel is pumped. But I could imagine seeing it on SNL. Or Zoolander part two.