I picked up the mail on my way to work and upon returning to the car noticed the left front tire was a little low. No time to fix it then, but something I needed to take care of sometime during the day. Later in the morning I needed to go to the bank, and figured that would be a perfect opportunity to fill the tire. I pulled into the Holiday near the office only to find a sign on the air hose indicating it was out of order. No problem there was a station a few blocks away, I'd stop there. Of course I'd forgotten that Rainbow station on the corner of State and 33 rd had closed several months before, I scanned the lot no rainbow I looked to the heavens no rainbow there either. Not to despair, I'd take care of my business at the bank and visit the Chevron at Main and Thirty Third on my way back. No signs on the air hose it was looking good, I got out of the car took the cap off the offending tire and grabbed the hose. I applied the hose to the valve, but alas it sounded like more air was escaping than going in. I examined the hose only to find that it was damaged and was never going to work. Not good, the tire now had less air than when I arrived. Well there was another Holiday only half a block away. I slowly drove the half block worrying that I might damage the tire, pulled into the Sinclair only to find another sign stating the air was not available. I couldn't believe it can you? I proceeded slowly down West Temple to 21st South turned right and pulled into the 7-11 on the corner I could see the air hose, ah no sign, well a sign but it simply said that it would cost me fifty cents for the air. I unscrewed the cap once again, deposited the fifty cents in the appropriate slot good I could hear the compressor working. Would I finally succeed? There seemed to be air going into the tire, slowly but at least it was working. I stopped momentarily and checked the pressure it was up from the twelve when I started to seventeen, for fifty cents you'd think the air would come out faster. I reattached the air hose and pressed the button, it was working but very slowly, I started wondering how much time I got for fifty cents, at this rate I wasn't sure If I would finish, and at that very moment there was silence. I took out my air gauge a dandy I purchased form the car guys on public radio. I pushed the button to reset it then placed it on the valve and pushed the button. Thirty-five pounds. I sighed, a bit of air escaped from my lungs.