My first thought would be they've begun selling gasoline by the cup, not the gallon. Or I'd be looking for the cameras because I might be getting "Punk'd" or caught on the newest version of "Candid Camera."

But there is no trick, no explanation at all. Just as clear as day, it says 35 cents per gallon.

Actually, that is exactly what happened a few weeks ago at a Kangaroo Express in Wilmington, N.C. No tricks, no hidden cameras. The problem? An employee made a slight error when setting the price on the pumps that day, setting them for $0.35 instead of $3.35. Whoops.

It wasn't until word spread and cars were lined up around the block that management thought to check to see what was causing such a stir. By the time they caught the error, the company had lost more than $1,000 in mispriced sales.

When I read the article, my first thought went to the employee. Boy, how my heart goes out to that person. I've made some dumb, careless mistakes in my life just because I wasn't paying close enough attention. I know that feeling.

I once had a boss who told me it's only a mistake if you cannot go back and fix it. Whether that's really true or not, it sure helped me to let go of that initial wave of guilt and helplessness, knowing all was not lost provided I could fix my error.

Unfortunately, not all mistakes can be fixed because what's done is done. The best you can do is to fix it now so you do not continue to make the same mistake in the future. No matter how badly you've blown it in the past, making things right -- right now -- is the right thing to do.

I wonder how many people who took their fill of the cheap gas that day went back to pay up once they realized it was human error -- not human intention -- that gave them a bargain. I'll bet some did. They recognized the importance of going back and doing whatever is humanly possible to make things right. And for sure, they felt good for having done the right thing.

As for the employee who did the deed, I hope that person was given the opportunity to make things right.

Or that the company carries "stupid" insurance (also known as errors and omissions) on its employees.

Mary Hunt is the founder of DebtProofLiving.com and author of 17 books, including "Debt-Proof Living." You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. To find out more about Mary Hunt and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2008 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.