A disappointing pursuit — For $1,000 the vending machine would grant me the perfect words to begin my novel. For $5,000, the center of the story. For another $10,000, I could buy enough words so that a great ending would flow into my head. Without hesitation, I inserted the cash. It took every cent I had. I wouldn’t eat for days, but it would be worth it. Once the money had disappeared from view, the machine spoke to me for the first time.