Wednesday, February 21, 2007

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.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Sorry to hear that. My cokes are free at work!!

Love ya,
Big Daddy

The Cynical Tyrant said...

Now where's the challenge in that???

meghant said...

If they're free - then he should donate one nickel to you for each free coke he gets at work. I mean, isn't that what a good dad does?

Unknown said...

you have to buy cokes at work! haha!

The Cynical Tyrant said...

seriously? is it that weird that i have to buy my own Cokes at work??

this news makes my goal seem empty and without merit....