It was the last Dr. Pepper in the machine. For years, the only place I could find Dr. Pepper in Moscow was at expensive supermarkets, and for some reason they only sold it in those tiny cans you’d find in a hotel room bar fridge at about the same prices.

So, when someone told me that our office vending machine now had Dr. Pepper in proper 330ml cans, I was pretty excited. Even more so when I discovered that it was the last one.

{CLINK}

70 rubles of change went into the slot, the corkscrew shaped dispenser slowly spun and the can moved its way towards the edge.

{KATHUNK}

The can fell to the bottom of the machine. I pushed the retracting security tray forward, slid my hand in, and grabbed the chilled goodness.

I paused. Smiled. Nodded.

I pushed the left tip of my thumb underneath the lip of the pull-tab and lifted.

{KASHHHHHHHHAAASHHHHHHHHASHHHHH}

Fuck.