Eleven Nickels

I have a very important goal at work. I've had this goal for quite some time, but I have yet to accomplish it.

I want to buy a Coke from the machine using only nickels.

A Coke costs 55 cents, which is 11 nickels. You'd be surprised at how hard it is to collect 11 nickels. I am constantly facing setbacks.

I had nearly met my goal of 11 nickels a couple of months ago, when a coworker asked for 15 cents to add to her change to buy a Coke. Being the kindhearted person that I am, I gave her the change I had, which cleared out my stash of nickels. After all, I couldn't really tell her no, and then go buy my own Coke. I'd have to explain that I wanted to use 11 nickels to buy a Coke, and that's why I couldn't give her my nickels.

To the casual observer, that might not be worthy of denying someone else the ability to quench their thirst with a few of my nickels.

At first, it is easy to collect the nickels. Every time I put in 60 cents, I get a nickel back in change. Do this 11 times, and there's my 11 nickels.

But then there are always days when I have 50 cents and I just need that one nickel to get my Coke. So I have to use one of my nickels with my two quarters, and that takes away one of the 11 nickels.

It's a setback.

Then there are setbacks like today. I put in 60 cents for today's Coke, but the machine did not spit out a nickel for change! SO today's Coke cost me 60 cents, PLUS it did nothing to help my nickel stash.

Damn. Hell. Damn. (thanks Grandma)

I think I've got 4 nickels in my desk at work now. Slow and steady wins the Coke.

I will never give up.

11 nickels. One Coke.

C.T.