a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do

the craving was strong, too strong.

so he gave in. he grabbed his jacket, cellphone, ipod, keys, and he's off on his quest

for a can of coke.

he drove down to the nearest marketplace. a friend had told him about a vending machine next to the bank. his car moved slowly, his eyes browsed around until they're locked on to the vending machine. he drove closer. bottles, only bottles, no cans.

fuck.

the taste of coke is much better when sipped from a metal can. maybe it's the metal, maybe it's all suggestive, he didn't care. all he knew was that he missed the taste. and he would not give up until he got what he wanted.

ralph's might have a vending machine, he thought to himself. so he drove a few block to ralphs. he parked his car, grabbed his keys, and entered ralph's. a vending machine, he saw. tears almost run down his eyes, tears of joy. he walked faster and faster to the maching, only to find a sign that says "out of order." he stared at it in disbelief.

fuck.

campus. there's a shitload of vending machines on campus. one of them is bound to sell canned coke. so he drove a mile to the nearest vending machine on campus, and parked his car on the fire lane. $40 worth of ticket was no longer something worth worrying about. he saw the machine. he ran. he got there to find that it's only selling bottles.

fuck. fuck.

he remembered another vending machine not far from there, so he ran, ran as fast as he can. he was out of breath when he got there, but he found three vending machines next to each other. he shouted in joy. then he looked at them one by one, eyes scanning carefully.

bottle.

bottle.

can.

he shouted again in joy. the third vending machine sold canned coke. so he took out his wallet and grab a dollar bill. then his eyes scanned the machine once more, looking for a place where he can put his money in and satiate his desire.

he could not find it.

the machine only accepts coins, and tritonplus account.

FUCK.

then he looked to the machine next to him. they're all bottles. maybe he should just settle for the 2nd best? they're still cokes after all. he let out a long sigh and grabbed another dollar bill, for the bottles cost $1.25 each.

blink.

blink. blink.

his brain is now working. $2.00 - $1.25 = $0.75. he can get 75 cents worth of coin! there is a way!

so he put in his two dollar bills, grabbed his bottled coke and the 75 cents change, put the 75 cents change in the third vending machine, hit the button for canned coke, and waited for it to come out.

klunk.

he looked in disbelief. it took him about a good fifteen seconds before he reached down to claim his trophy. a big smile was on his face. he has never been this happy. he opened the can and started sipping coke from it. to him coke has never tasted that good.

he walked back to his car, feeling victorious, burping all the way.