The Coffee Machines
I stepped outside this morning to run some errands--a brief stop at the vet's office to buy some diet cat food for Charlie, then to the grocery story for milk and bread, and finally to the bakery for doughnuts to surprise the kids. It was a gorgeous morning, with a breathtaking blue sky and just the hint of a gentle breeze. Each time I emerged from the pickup, the flawless day reminded me of those perfect Saturday mornings way back in the early 1960's, when our whole family piled into the car to accompany Dad on his errands. To be more specific, I should say that we went along while he serviced his vending machines. Besides managing the Oxnard Hotel in Norfolk, Dad also managed several coffee machines, like the one pictured below. Sometimes, he would load one into the back of his pickup so he could drop it off at a new location. But, usually, he would make his rounds about once a week to refill the machines with cups and everything else that was needed t...