I got paid today. Always a happy occasion; I do meter readings (the machines keep a running total), "rob" the machines of their bills (I double rubber-band the food machine money because our Rowe Food machines accept $5 bills).

Hm. That brings up a good point. What machines do we have?
* One Royal Vendor soda machine, holds 5 selections, about one case of each. It's the only soda machine we have that belongs to the State.
* One "Vendo" soda machine (property of Dr Pepper - we have a contract)
* One "zombie" (always dead) API food machine. It's still in the shop right now. I tease Ron and tell him the repairman has it set up somewhere, making money. We're doing meter readings when it comes back for that reason.
* One API coffee machine - it's excellent and very well behaved. Ron services it and does an excellent job. I'd drink a cup of coffee out of there anyday.
* One Rowe Snack machine - it's made enough in its' life to pay off our mortgage 4 times. It's nearly 20 years old. I am very fond of it but it's very creaky. Certain activities will make it crash and die. Then I have to come in and fix it.
* Two Rowe Bill changers
* Two Rowe Food machines - great machines. I wish the API worked as well. Unfortunately, Rowe is out of the food vending business (they do jukeboxes now).
* Two Dixie-Narco Soda machines (also belong to Dr Pepper)
* Three API snack machines. They're good little worker bees.

So, I've done the meter readings. I've "Pulled" the bills (in vending lingo, it's called robbing the machines). I put them in my little baggie and go into the "small stockroom" to run the money. Running the money consists of taking off the rubber bands, sorting out any $5 bills that may be mixed in with the singles (hence the double bands on the food machine money), and putting it on the bill counter.

The food machines are harlots. They will take 'most any bill. It's astounding. I generally have to hand-count the food machine bills as I sort out the fives. Even the bank bill counter doesn't like the bills the food machines take. I then "run" all the other bills into hundred packs. To paraphrase what Bruce, the other vendor told us: "Make sure George Washington is facing front. It doesn't matter if he's upside down or right side up as long as he's facing forward." I count 'em and let Ron know the total. After work, I get paid out of the "pull" while Ron generally deposits the rest.