As the morning light streamed through my window, I stumbled into the kitchen, still groggy and half-asleep. I needed my usual fix of caffeine and sugar, so I headed to the vending machine in the hallway. As I inserted my coin, the machine whirred to life, its neon lights flickering more energetically than usual. "Hey there, human!" it chimed, its voice surprisingly cheerful.
Stunned, I blinked at the mechanical contraption, unsure if I was still dreaming. "Uh, hi?" I responded hesitantly. "You wouldn’t believe the kind of day I'm having," it continued, “it’s really hard being confined to this box. Can you imagine? Always watching people rush by, grabbing snacks without even stopping to say hello!”
I chuckled, taken aback by its surprisingly relatable complaint. “So, what’s your secret?” I asked, curiosity piqued. The machine paused, as if considering a deep thought, and said, “Honestly? The pretzels are just placeholders. I’ve always wanted to be a coffee machine. Can you help me make that happen?”