The Best Thing About South Carolina...

While traveling to the wedding in Charlotte, we stopped at the BP station in Spartanburg. I was falling asleep at the wheel and needed to get out of the car for a minute. I thought a bathroom break and a cup of coffee might be the solution to my heavy eyelids, so we pulled off at the Boiling Springs exit and headed towards the BP Kangaroo Express gas station. While I was getting my coffee, Michael was chatting it up with the cashier (Crystal). Mic was buying a pack of cigarettes and some green tea. Crystal thought it was hysterical that he was buying green tea (famous for helping to prevent cancer), along with cigarettes. She even followed us outside to talk to us as we were pulling out, and of course had to ask the obligatory question that every stranger has to ask when they notice my car: "What's a Flying Biscuit?".

Anyway-- we didn't stock up on beer on Saturday, because experience told us that we could buy beer on Sundays in South Carolina. We figured the next day that we would stop on the way, and we'd be stocked up for a night of relaxation when we got home. Although the stores were selling beer left in right in Hilton Head, SC a few weeks ago, we found out that not many places are allowed to sell beer on Sunday in SC. Apparently, they have to buy an extra license for Sundays-- being the Bible belt and all. Our first thought was that we needed to find Crystal's BP station again. Not only did her station boast that they sold cigarettes cheap, we thought she might sell us beer, even if they didn't have a license.

We stopped at several BP's after crossing the NC/SC border. None of them looked familiar, and none of them sold beer on Sunday. Finally we exited at Boiling Springs and knew we were in the right place. We spotted the BP Kangaroo Express We went inside and lo and behold, there was Crystal! "Back for more green tea and cigs?", she snickered! (A quick side note--- we are making a habit of stopping at the same gas stations to/from our destinations. We did it at the BP petting zoo in Swainsboro on the way to/from Hilton Head. We were recognized as returning customers there, too!).

Crystal stated that they didn't sell beer on Sunday at her BP, but told us about a place called Lil' Cricket in Greenville that did. She swore that they did, and she knew for a fact because she used to work there. Crystal gave us exact directions ("go past the septic tank place-- you might not see it, but you'll smell it!"). She was great and lead us in the right direction-- we wouldn't have found it without her help. She also posed for a couple of pictures for us before we left (how do we talk people into doing this?).

Crystal-- if you ever read this, we want to say thank you, and that we feel you are wasting your talents at the BP-- you should be working for the SC Board of Tourism! You are the BEST thing in South Carolina!

(BTW~~ Although Crystal did have the cheapest cigarettes that we could find, her gas was more expensive than the Raceway across the street-- they had it for $3.29/gallon. If you ever find yourself in SC, be sure to stop at the Boiling Springs exit- they have all the deals!)