Coffee Emergency

They took our coffee machine.

I stood there, horrified, looking at the spot where the blessed machine used to be. I nearly dropped my mug. My stomach lurched.

"This cannot be!" I cried.

Hair Stylist nearly spit out her lunch laughing at me. "Now Jeff," she mildly scolded, "It'll be OK."

My nonverbal skeptical eye-widening was my reply.

"They're changing vending companies," she explained, still choking back laughter. "I think we're going to get a new one later today."

The lack of certainty did not encourage me. I sagged at the knees and leaned against a wall for support. "I may cry."

My pathetic little show was starting to get to her. Hair Stylist was actively rocking back and forth with laughter. "There's a coffee machine up on the next floor. I don't know if they've taken it yet."

"I'd better run," I replied. I left the room in a blur. I could hear a *thud* behind me as Hair Stylist hit the floor laughing.

I was too late. They'd taken that one, too.

It was a long afternoon.