Americans who live on the Mexican border are going to Mexico to buy gas now that George Bush has snorted up all the oil and driven up prices to $4 a gallon. (This is such a flashback to how our parents survived the 1979 energy crisis, by the way. Is anyone here old enough to remember that crazy shiz?) But what interests us in particular about today’s New York Times story on the matter is their lead sentence:

When George Terrazas was mugged at gunpoint in this Mexican border city several months ago, he vowed never to return.

We imagine that last clause with an echo effect.

On Saturday, Mr. Terrazas was back in Ciudad Juárez, wooed by its irresistibly low-priced gasoline — around $2.66 a gallon — even if not quite unfazed by the indiscriminate gunfire from dueling drug cartels that has contributed to a 2008 average of three killings a day in the city.

“I don’t feel comfortable here,” he said, “but I can’t even fill the tank on the U.S. side.”

Is there no end to the fallout of 9/11? Now this war is causing Americans to have to set foot in poor, Brown countries. Without even being able to control the blowing up of stuff. It’s interesting, though, how post-traumatized George also had time during his run for the border to do a quick beer run and stop by the orthodontist.

And while here he would pick up six-packs of Tecate beer and produce like passion fruit, and even visit an orthodontist. In all, he expected to save $200. The border, he said, flashing a mouthful of braces, is “our advantage.”

Oh and he’s going back later with his other car.

He said that when he returned to El Paso, he would monitor the bridge traffic from his house, and that once it waned, he would come back to fill his other vehicle, an S.U.V., for an even bigger saving.

Here’s an idea for an even bigger saving: Don’t drive a gas guzzling, oversized truck. Oh right, this is our country.

Low Mexican Gas Prices Draw Americans [New York Times]