Old Faithful at the pumps

Charles Hicks has been pumping gas in Macon for 58 years

One of my favorite people had a birthday on Monday.

Charles Hicks was 75 years old.

If you know Charles, you won’t be surprised to learn he worked on his birthday.

At a time when full-service gas has practically gone the way of the dinosaur, Charles is “old faithful” at the pumps.

He has been a fixture at the corner of Riverside Drive and King Alfred drives since 1975. And he has been pumping gas, checking oil and wiping windshields in Macon since 1949.

His first job was at the Standard Oil on the corner of Broadway and Mulberry. That was back when gas was 10 cents a gallon. You could fill up for what a gallon of unleaded costs these days.

When my family lived in Riverside Park, I used to drive by that Exxon station early every morning. He was usually the first one there – sometimes an hour before the station opened – and he would just sit there listening to the radio in his blue 1975 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

I asked him once why he arrived so early. He said he just liked to watch the people. He loved watching the city wake up every morning.

On Monday, Kenny Desai, who leases the station, brought a birthday cake for Charles. He invited each of Charles’ loyal customers to come in and have a slice. By mid-day, Desai had to order another cake.

"He’s an institution on Riverside Drive,’’ Desai said. “People ask for Mr. Charles. They won’t let anybody else pump their gas.’’

Desai is a native of India and has visited 55 countries.

“I’ve never met anyone with a work ethic like Charles,’’ he said.

By the way, Charles told me he doesn’t plan on retiring until he is 80.