By Walter Charter—I am one of the lucky few who get to do what they love. Like most kids growing up, I used to walk past the vending machines in hotels and hospitals, and I would fantasize about what it would be like to be the one stocking them. The sound of the cellophane crinkling in my soft grip as I gently put each item in its designated slot, the brilliant colors of the packaging dazzling my eyes as I placed each snack into its proper spot. And after a few minutes of hard work and creativity, I'd have made a masterpiece. Passersby couldn't help themselves but to gaze in awe at the symmetry. The candy bars would all lie perfectly parallel, as if standing at attention in wait for their purchaser to take them home.
I am humbled to say that I finally achieved this lifelong dream last February, and I've been perfectly at home in the much-coveted vending machine stocking industry. I've not written this piece to gloat, however. I am writing to inspire. You need to know that your dreams are also within your grasp if only you can have the courage to reach out and grasp them by the horns.
I wasn't always on the dream path of bringing joy to dozens of hungry (or possibly gluttonous) citizens. If you can believe it, I was once on the dark path of becoming an attorney at law. I was in classes, mastering the dullest material on planet earth, and for what? To punish the guilty? To get innocent people out of prison? I soon couldn't stand to look at myself in the mirror, feeling deep inside what my true calling was. So I took a leap of faith and contacted the owner of the campus vending machines. Then, with a little luck and a starry look, I completed the one-page application. I even went the extra mile and included a three-page statement of purpose, outlining my vision for the vending machines within city limits. And the rest is history.
You can do it, too. If you trust in your abilities, work hard to build a foundation of skills like locating places on a map, using keys to open things, and if you can read a chart, you just might have what it takes.
Nothing gives me more joy than to see a patron in need of some sustenance fishing through his or her pocket for some change, and then to see them peruse the many delicious selections, see the change in their countenance as they reach a decision, make the selection, and have the item drop flawlessly into the retrieval area. It never gets old, and I thank my lucky stars every day that I can play a part in this beautiful mission.
Your vending machine might be coaching in the NFL, managing a used book store, going into space, or washing other people's dogs. It doesn't have to be just a dream anymore. Go out and get it.
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