It’s all over the news, nearly every night. Fuel prices are at an all-time high and we’re facing, or are in the midst of, a recession in the United States.

Gas Prices at Sheetz on Apperson Drive in Salem (4/29/08)

When I filled up yesterday at the Sheetz on the corner of Apperson Drive and Route 419 in Salem, regular grade fuel was $3.49 a gallon. I believe that’s the highest the price has ever been in Roanoke, certainly that I’ve seen. And several other stations in the area have already broken the $3.50 mark.

Now, I don’t get too involved with the hows and whys that cause the increase, I just pay what the pump says. But, I do have memories of a time not all that long ago when things were different.

I’m not so young that I don’t remember when gas was still in the double digits for a gallon, and this was only about 10 years ago.

So if I had a $20 bill I could actually fill up on gas, get a candy bar, a soda, and still get a few bucks back in change. I remember doing this on many occasions at the Country Store on Starkey Road during the late 1990s.

Of course, I was only making about $5.50 an hour then working part-time during high school and college. So, I suppose it’s good when some things increase…