A day at Gas King doesn’t really have a script “Expect the unexpected,” Kelly Klimchuk, district sales manager, says during a tour of the independent retailer’s flagship location south of Calgary in Lethbridge, Alta. Business starts ramping up around 4:30 a.m. And there’s always something keeping the staff busy, whether it’s stock shelves, repairing equipment or talking to customers who can’t believe the price of fuel . Klimchuk says customers are concerned when prices change overnight, especially when there’s no obvious local reason. His answer is that the station is “way downstream” from the forces setting prices. Gas King can try to stay competitive, but it doesn’t control speculation, global markets or conflict. That leaves staff trying to run a normal business during an abnormal time in oil markets. Customers are already changing their habits. Some still fill up. Others stop at $40 or $60 and come back more often, perhaps betting prices will be lower next time. Steve Ouellet, the assistant store manager and kitchen manager, says some regulars are splitting fuel purchases across the week, trying to stretch their money to payday. It might sound surprising, but this is not a good time for gas stations, either. When prices are high, it’s tougher to make a profit. Watch as Klimchuk takes us on a tour behind the counter at Gas King, to find out what it’s actually like to run an independent fuel retailer during an energy crisis. Iran war wiped out 1.5 billion barrels of oil — so farIs this as good as bank earnings get? • Email: dtrainer@postmedia.com