i confess that when we first got to the US i was extremely excited about vending machines. at the hotel i used one and i loved it! u just punch in the number and slide in the $ bill and poof! there's the chocolate bar! however....this one particular vending machine in washington DC at the hotel outside is really a pathetic stupid terrible vending machine....this is the reason why..........well, yesterday it was stormy and rainy with lightening and rain sweeping across the parking lot in front of the hotel. my mom and brother went in the car to the laundry place and my dad was getting ready to talk on the phone in the hotel room so my sister and i had to be quiet. kath began to listen to her i pod and there was nothing for me to do. dad was using both computers...one with skype and the other he was writing things down with. soo...........i was bored. and i wanted candy. and where do u get candy? a vending machine.
well, the vending machine just happened to be out in the open with no covering. but i wanted that chocolate reesus peanut butter cups. and so, i took 4 quarters and put them in my pocket and tramped 3 levels down the wet stairs and with big drops of rain and roaring wind splashing against me i stepped up to the candy apple red vending machine and looked through the rain splattered glass at the candy and crackers and chips inside. reesus peanut butter cups was #52. so, i put the four quarters in the slot and pushed 5. but the 5 didnt light up and it didnt show on the screen that i had pushed 5. so i pushed 5 again. and before i knew was was happening the machine went CA CHING and i realized that the machine thought i said 55. i didnt want number 55!! i stared at #55 as it fell into the open slot before me. cheese crackers. a crack of lightening lit up the sky and with a crash of thunder i felt even more cold rain pour out of the cloudy sky and drench me to my skin. i stood there, wet and mortified, staring at the cheese crackers. i had just used a WHOLE dollar on CHEESE CRACKERS!!! I DIDNT WANT CHEESE CRACKERS!!!!!!!!!!! after a while i finally leaned down and picked up the hated cheese crackers. i stomped back up the three flights of stairs. when i got to our room i swung open the door just as a crack of thunder went CRASH. seroiusly, it was like in a movie! my dad looked at me--drenched wet, hair flung everywhere, and with a grumpy face.
"what's wrong?"
"the stupid vending machine gave me CHEESE CRACKERS!!" i pouted, and through the crackers down on the floor.
so, i headed back down with more coins and this time punched in the right number. nothing happened. i did it again and again and again and again but it didnt move. so i got my coins back and concluded that maybe the vending machine only used quarters. i tramped back upstairs to get 4 quarters but on the way up i bumped into a lady dressed up as if for a party and she looked at me as if i was crazy (i didnt have any shoes, my jeans were rolled up, i was soaked through and my hair was wet and stringy. i could feel my face turning red and i mumbled a small "eh, sorry" and hurried on. after much trouble i got 4 quarters (i had to trade other coins with katherine to get quarters). then i skipped down again sure that i would get those reesus peanut butter cups. but, as i glanced from the stairs down at the vending machine i saw the lady that i had bumped into at the vending machine. (it wasnt pouring rain now only sprinkling) i went back up to the room and waited. when i was sure she was gone i started back up the stairs but then i saw that she was coming UP the stiars! i slipped and stumbled back to room and shut the door behind me quickly (by now my dad was loooking at me strangely, but continued talking on his important phone call). finally, i went BACK downstairs. the lady was gone and the vending machine refused to work. i gritted my teeth and kicked the machine. that was stupid of me. it hurt REALLY bad! with a humph and a uuuuugggh i pulled drenched self up the 3 flights of stairs and got a dollar bill. then i went back downstairs and jammed the bill into the slot. it slid in perfectly only to be pushed back out by the machine. it must be crumpled. AARRGHH!!!! i was SO frustrated and tired and cold and angry but i was NOT going to let that vending machine win... no...i was going to get those reesus peanut butter cups no matter what. i needn't have to tell you what happened next because i'm sure u kno. yes, i went BACK upstairs to get a different dollar. i didnt have one. my dad saw my problem and tossed me his crispest bill. back i went and gently put the dollar in. it got a bit wet but i did go in! but then it came out. i think i almost passed out. but, at the moment my brother came back from the laundry. i told him everything and he simply punched in the number of the candy that i wanted and slid the bill in. THUMP!! the candy dropped into bowl. i blinked. i reached down at the candy and picked it up. i blinked again. need i say more??
