Do you have a Goody Box at work? It's a cardboard display with all sorts of chips, cookies, microwave popcorn, cup-a-soup, etc, that's brought in and stocked by some local vending company. It's the stuff you'd find in a classic vending machine except it's just in this open cardboard thing with a cardboard box with a slit where you put your money (All items 75 cents!). There's one sitting by the printers on the other side of the building and another in the break room slash kitchen. They work on the honor system. You want a Snickers bar, you're supposed to put in your 3 quarters.

My problem is that I don't have any money. I don't mean I'm destitute, y'all. I mean I don't carry cash. Like ever. Except for vending machines (or vending cardboard boxes) the old debit card works for just about anything. So what do I do when I'm pouring my coffee and I look over and see those Lorna Doone cookies staring at me? What could possibly complete a morning cup of coffee like shortbread cookies? Do I just take a pack of cookies? That's stealing, even if it is from a faceless corporation. The guilt would just crush me if I did that (I am a recovering Catholic after all). No, what I've had to do every day for the past several months was wipe that single tear from my eye, pass by the coveted Lorna Doones and retire to my desk to attempt to enjoy a suddenly tasteless cup of coffee.

That's what I had to do until recently anyway. You see, we got a new vending box last month. It looks the same as the old one - cardboard half box with the cardboard safe that has a slit on top for money deposit and prepacked snack delights filling up the display portion - except for one small detail. This one has a little Master Card/Visa sticker on the pay box. Hallelujiah and saints be praised! I just swipe my debit card in and out of that cardboard slot, take the beloved Lorna Doone cookies and enjoy them with a clear conscience. I was a bit concerned at first because there was no slip to sign but then I remembered that signatures aren't required for purchases under $50.

It's odd that none of my purchases showed up on my last bank statement. They must process all of the transactions in a batch and they just haven't hit mine yet. Yeah, that's the ticket.