The Majuscule H of Shame

The scarlet letter on my forehead is a majuscule at the beginning of 'Hypocrisy.'

News analysts were blaring from the car stereo on my homeward commute, illustrating how the decline of oil barrel prices doesn't reflect a fair deceleration of per-gallon prices at the gas pumps.how the decline of oil barrel prices doesn't reflect a fair deceleration of per-gallon prices at the gas pumps.


The Starbucks clerk working the drive-thru asked if I wanted a receipt for my $4.65 hazelnut latte and I declined, opting to ask for the balance of the prepaid Starbucks card I keep in easy reach of the drivers' seats in each of my cars.

Tuning my ears' attention back to the radio, I grumbled, "No shit, Sherlock!," (maybe even aloud) to my feelings about the weekly gutting of my wallet at the gas pumps for two cars and motorcycle.

I remember my disgust at the time I correctly predicted gas prices would never creep below the 2-dollar mark again, and now, I feel dread I'll never see another gallon of gas below three bucks.

Grabbing the paper cup almost too hot to handle gave me clarity and, after some quick math, I realized I'm spending $29.76 per gallon for the lattes I occasionally can't seem to drive without, yet, which seem to accompany reasonable thinking.