The Coke Machine

In 1965, in the teacher’s room at the Middle School, we had a Coke machine. This was an old fashioned one, and the office staff filled it and took care of it.

While I was sitting in the teacher’s room one morning, I remembered that I had a beer, in a bottle, in my car. I started thinking about this, and went to my car, got the bottle, and convinced the secretary to lend me the key to the Coke machine. Obviously the next step was inevitable, I had to do it!

I opened the machine, put in the beer (which fit!), and sat back and waited. I figured it would be a huge joke (remember this was 1965 and that would have been outrageous).

As only luck would have it, our Principal walked it, took out his nickel (yep, 5 cents!) and put it in the machine. In those days we had no choice, you only had Coke.

Out came his beer! He looked surprised, and then he laughed!

I was so relieved, he was such a great guy.

An earlier story (The Citizens Arrest) also featured the same principal, the late Joe Mirenzi, a fantastic guy who allowed me to continue teaching even though I put beer in the Coke machine.

I did have to promise that there was only one!