The Vending Machine

It is hot in Germany right now, too hot.

I had just had two oral examinations in a stifling hot room with the sweat pouring down my back. I passed a vending machine and remembered that I had forgotten my own water bottle. They had water (terribly expensive BonAqua, but still: water), I tried to puzzle out the price. It looked like 1,25 Euro, which is a scandal. At my school they take 1,05 WITH deposit for water, the same size and brand.

I dug through my coins, I had 1,30 in small change. Okay, dumped it all in, pushed the button. Nothing happens. I push harder, nada. The display shows 1,30. Fine, that's what I put in. Then I spot the sign: all drinks 1,50. 1,50! That is highway robbery, I'm not paying that, I'll stick my head under a faucet or go thirsty for prices like this.

I look for the button to return my change. Nothing. I press all of the buttons, first gently, then hard. Nothing. It just looks at me. I press everything even remotely resembling a button, but still nothing. I root through my coins for a 20, but the smallest coin I have is a 50 cent piece.

Okay, bitter about this hold-up I put the 50 cent piece in. It now blinks 1,80 at me, I press the water button, and it obligingly dispenses the bottle. It blinks 0,30, and then returns something to me - 20 cents. I want to kick the machine, I press all the buttons again, but it keeps my 10 cents. So I end up paying 1,60 for the privledge of cooling off. Well, at least it is cold.

As I open the bottle (examination papers underneath my arm) the carbonation in the bottle causes a fountain of water to erupt. I really didn't need a shower, but now I have one, an expensive one. The examination papers get a little damp, oh well, I'll put that down to the candidate sweating. And I resolve to boycott Coca-Cola products.