Glory Days and the Fading Star

This old service/gas station sign exemplifies America and our love for the automobile. When this sign was new and the gas station was "full serve" complete with a uniformed attendant, cars were relatively cheap and huge! They were solid hunks of steel reinforced with more steel. American made by Americans. The average car would hold entire families and the pet dog. It was nothing for families to take two and three week driving vacations. Gas was under $.25 per gallon.
As I passed this sign many months ago I was taken by the symbol of the fading star of a Texas legend, Texaco,founded by Texans in Texas where the state would become synonymous with oil. If you look carefully you will see the rust taking over the steel. Most of us feel like "rust" has taken over the American automobile companies and we are ambivalent about rehabing them. The service station was abandoned in this small town. That is also a metaphor on how many feel about the American Dream that was once exemplified by what used to be located on this site.
Today, the oil companies are viewed with suspicion; try to find a full service station and then be prepared to pay double the price. Most of us view the oil companies with suspicion as gas creeped up just in time for the Memorial Day Weekend and the start of summer. Irnonically more people are driving now due to the airline industries issues. And, we are driving much smaller and lighter cars make with anything but steel. I am not sure I miss the old days, but I would like for someone to check my tires without having to offer a bribe or pay $.50 at an air pump.