Friday, June 1, 2007

Hate, indifference and Chenango vending machines

"The opposite of love is not hate but indifference."

Three hours after leaving Ithaca, my bus stops @ a rest stop in Chenango, New York. I walk in for a soda.

A 25+ year-old in T-shirt and khakis fiddles with the vending machine. I notice he has put 25 cents in. He turns to me and asks, "Do you know how to work these things?"

I veil my slight disdain with a blase shrug: "As well as you." Help someone place coins into a vending machine? Maybe not today. By not today, like never.

"Huh." Fed this statement, he suddenly walks away.

Without blinking, I step forward and include his 25 cents in my Cherry Coke purchase. The first swig hits strong.

Later on the bus, I wonder whether the tingly sensation around my temples are horns sprouting from my head. Nah, probably just caffeine buzz.

No comments: