Gas prices have surged 40% since the Iran war began, forcing independent gas station owner Cameron Joudi in Jacksonville to repeatedly raise prices on his loyal customers—people he knows personally and who are already struggling financially. This episode explores the human cost of geopolitical conflict at America's pumps. Independent gas station owners like Joudi operate on razor-thin margins of 10-15 cents per gallon, making them price-takers rather than price-makers despite appearing to control the pump. Military veterans and fixed-income customers are cutting groceries and skipping meals as gas price increases redirect household budgets away from food and essentials.