Inspiration Boulevard

Art Edis, a Shell Gas Station Franchise owner and I was 17 years of age. This was in the days when service stations were not just "inconvienence stores". We would pump the gas, clean the winshield, check oil fluid levels, and add battery water, winshiled cleaning fluid, and top off the radiator all for the 28 cents per gallon price.

Art believed in providing an environment for individual motivation to excell. He promoted being the best service to the customer and so when I was assigned to "clean the restrooms", (a lost art today), I would enter with a pressure hose, drying towells, mop, toilet brush, sanitizer, and wax / chrome polish.

This practice was performed daily, along with: Cleaning and shining the pumps and associated islands, organizing and replenishing displays and products, ceaning the staions' windows and floors, and either sweeping, or hosing down, (depending on weather), the property so that the store would look its' best every day. No trash can ever filled because a filled trash can was not allowed or accepted at Arts' Shell Gas Station.

Art contracted cancer soon after I left for other work. Back in these days there was not much to do about it so Art always cross-trained mentored others to take peoples' place, if need be. The top mechanic, (oh, we repaired vehicles at the station back then) took over the franchise and continued with Arts' concepts.

The couple of years, that the mechanic trained me to repair vehicles, per Arts' request, I still work on my own vehicles today. I find that I am more skillfull and knowing than most mechanics of today. Working for Art Edis directed how I should be of service for the rest of my life. After all; there is no competition against quality service, which is another discussion topic all on its' own.
Posted by Joe Corno