Sonic Cruiser: Me

I used to have graduate students in my life. And they frequently gave me Sonic gift cards. Holidays, I would receive at least a couple of $5 cards. Now, I occasionally receive a Sonic card from a former student and, egads, her daughter. (How did I get to be this age?) But most of the time I'm using my own cash at Sonic. And since many of the drive-ins accept only a Sonic card for auto pay, I have no opportunity to use a credit card. Ah, well, then, I need to buy my own Sonic card and "load it" online using my credit card. You know where that's going: miles.

So, onto the Sonic web site. I learn that it takes many steps to load a card and become a Cruiser. I see a mention of maintaining a balance. That's not necessarily a good place to park my money. On the other hand, it takes many steps to load a card. I go right back into the site and take those many steps again in order to set up a year's plan for auto-loading the card whenever it drops to $30. (It will zoom to $100 within 24 hours with a charge to my credit card. You know: miles.)

As tiresome as this tale is (for me, too, by the way), I am compelled to relate why $30 is my threshold for re-loading. Just last week, I picked up lunch for colleagues on my way to a client's office. The bill at Sonic was $23. So, of course, I want to always have $23 on my Sonic card. (Ironically, that lunch group included two former grad students, both of whom can recite my preferred Sonic drink because, well, they used to bring it to me in another setting.)

When I ended the loading process online and the graphic above appeared on screen, it came with the designation PREFERRED. I can only assume that the demographic for Sonic card loading is an age that recognizes that term. And is amused.

© 2009 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. The content of this blog or related web sites created by Mary Bold (www.marybold.com, www.boldproductions.com, College Intern Blog) is not under any circumstances to be regarded as professional, legal, financial, or medical advice. Or education advice. Or marital advice. Or even a tip.