Patience pays off in free fuel giveaway

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By D. Aileen Dodd

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Free fuel was available for a limited time Saturday at the Exxon station at 507 Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard in southwest Atlanta.

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Rochelle Johnson, Atlanta, pumps $20 worth of free gas at the Exxon gas station at 507 Joseph E. Lowery Blvd on Saturday. She was the first person to get the gas.

Johnny Crawford, Jcrawford@ajc.com Rochelle Johnson, Atlanta, pumps $20 worth of free gas at the Exxon gas station at 507 Joseph E. Lowery Blvd on Saturday. She was the first person to get the gas.

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This, however, was not the kind of deal where you could gas up and go.

The promotion, which was scheduled to end at 4 p.m., was sponsored by Tax City for those with W-2 forms -- and patience.

Bargain hunters in search of free fuel at the Exxon station were directed to Tax City’s office one block south at 565 Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard. Tax City staff was waiting to review their W-2s and share tax advice.

“We’re going to give you a free quote and once we finish, we are going to give you a free tank of gas,” said Cyrus Ellison, president of Tax City. “It only takes a quick second.”

Well, maybe more like 15 to 20 minutes. Two workers were staffing the office for the free fuel event.

Rochelle Johnson, a customer service associate for a residential trash company, was the first to arrive with her W-2. She made her way to the tax office as Ellison placed black and yellow balloons outside his office.

“I normally do my own taxes,” Johnson said. “But I just so happen to be close to empty.’’

Once the pitch is over, a $20 gas card was handed out so patrons could return to the station a block a way.

Twenty dollars, however, wouldn't fund a "tank of gas" if the driver was traveling on fumes. The average price of gas in Georgia ranges from $3.42 for unleaded to $3.74 for premium, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report.

Ellison said he was prepared to give away $2,000 worth of gas, but if it “goes well” he said he may pick up the tab for twice that.

Andrew Gilchrease, a recent University of Georgia grad, said he couldn’t pass up the free gas or the tax advice.

“This is my first year filing,” said Gilchrease, who hopes to become a police officer. “My parents have been claiming me as a dependent.”

As more people filed into Tax City for the deal, the wait for free gas got longer. Customers sat on chairs lining a wall. An impatient baby was wailing.

Kay Harris, a receptionist, sat on a store window ledge waiting more than 20 minutes to see a tax associate. She heard about the deal at the Exxon station and went home to get her paperwork.

“You are getting free gas,” Harris said, adding that she didn’t mind the wait.