Video

This next story is sure to pump you up. Remember back not all that long ago when you could pull into a gas station or service center and get the full service you expected back then? You know... fill up the tank, wash the windshields.. maybe check the tires and oil? Well... John Martin of Bismarck sure remembers those days. In fact, he's bringing them back at one Bismarck station. And as Julie Cronin reports tonight, he doesn't charge a penny for his service. You want some ethanol? - Sure. - All-righty. (Julie Cronin, KX News): JOHN MARTIN HAS DEVOTED HIS CAREER TO GIVING FULL SERVICE AT THE PUMP. You want the Ethanol, huh? - Yes... the E-85. Thankyou so much! - You're sure welcome. FOR 40 YEARS, JOHN WORKED AT THE Cenex GAS STATION IN Hettinger-North Dakota. HE DID IT ALL FOR HIS CUSTOMERS. YOU SEE, HELPING OTHERS IS SOMETHING JOHN GETS JOY FROM. You're not going to buy it for me too are you? - I don't think so. BUT A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE THOSE DAYS. JOHN RETIRED, AND SO DID FULL SERVICE. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT JOHN JUST ISN'T WILLING TO ACCEPT. (John Martin, Cenex Employee): Well, I never did like when they went to no service. I liked that when they filled them up with gas and stuff and check the oil and whatever else. AND SO WHEN THE CENEX ON WEST DIVIDE IN BISMARCK WAS BUILT..... That thing is getting thirsty too isn't it? - Very thirsty, yes. ...THE CENEX COMPANY SAID THEY NEEDED JOHN. AND JOHN SAID HE WAS ON HIS WAY. It's much better off for me than lay around and not do anything. AND SO JOHN WAS IN CHARGE OF PICKING UP TRASH, FILLING THE ICE COOLER... THINGS LIKE THAT. It's still taking it... is it? - It's still taking it. Yep. - I better go to your back window there. BUT THE GENTILE IN HIM STARTED DOING WHAT HE ONCE KNEW ALL TOO WELL. HE STARTED FILLING UP CUSTOMERS' TANKS, WASHING THEIR WINDSHIELDS, CHECKING THE TIRES... HE'LL EVEN SPRAYS DOWN YOUR VEHICLE BEFORE IT ENTERS THE CAR WASH. I come here 8-3 five days a week. - What a great surprise. - I enjoy it. - You don't get this every day. AND THE GENTLEMAN IN HIM IS ALWAYS AWARE OF WHO HE'S HELPING. If they're a lady or if they're older than I am... if it's a man and he's older than I am... I'll go and help him. Or if it's ladies, it don't make a difference how old she is. Do you think you're special like a lot of people think you are? - No... I should say not. IN A WORLD WHERE 'DO IT YOURSELF' IS THE WAY OF LIFE... AND Gas Prices ARE HIGHER THAN EVER BEFORE... YOU COULD SAY JOHN HAS BEEN SENT FROM UP ABOVE. If there's some way I can help them out, you know... don't cost you anything other than a little time... so we'll help them out. SOME MIGHT EVEN CALL HIM THE FULL SERVCE ANGEL. IN BISMARCK, JULIE CRONIN, KX NEWS. As you can imagine, John has quite a group of followings. He helps some of the same people on a regular basis. Many customers try to tip him. But John says he doesn't take tips. You can catch John at the West Divide Cenex Gas Station in Bismarck from eight in the morning until three in the afternoon Monday through Friday.