You Stop at U-Stop

Almost ten years ago the youth group I was in sold these discount card things for a fund raiser. Each card was $10, and got the bearer small discounts at local retailers. It was mostly standard fare--things like a dollar off a pizza, or a free side of fries at Runza...you know, little things like that. But the hidden gem on each card was a totally free 32-ounce soda at a local gas station called U-Stop.

Each card had a four-digit number and could be used once per day for the free soda. I'm guessing the people at U-Stop figured people would stop in for a soda and get gas or some snacks too.

My friends and I soon realized that because we were each in possession of many cards, which we were supposed to be selling, we could go to U-Stop several times each day and fill up on as much soda as our little hearts desired. Any time we had a hankerin' for some Dr Pepper or Coke we just busted out the cards and headed down to the gas station for a free fill-up on sugary goodness.

The owners of U-Stop had the last laugh, though, because for years after the cards expired we kept on going to the gas station for soda. We would often buy other things too, since we had to spend money to get the sodas, and after we all started driving it became the only place for gas as well. In fact, I went to U-Stop for a soda clear until I graduated from college, and so did most of my friends.

I still go, in fact, though not to U-Stop since I no longer live in Lincoln. There's a gas station just down the road from my house, and about once a week or so I head on down for a 32-ounce cup full of Mountain Dew, Sprite, or some other form of liquid sugar and/or caffeine. And tonight it was a soda and a bag of candy. They even have a cool little deal too: every seventh soda is free. Aw yeah!