Twix-Loving Man Fired for Attacking Twix-Withholding Vending Machine With Forklift
A man's love of Twix -- the chocolate-coated, cookie-filled candy bar -- got him fired when he attacked a misbehaving vending machine with a forklift.
Twenty-seven-year-old Robert McKevitt's claim for unemployment benefits was denied in December, but the decision didn't become public until last month, at which point eagle-eyed Des Moines Register reporter Clark Kaufman sought McKevitt out.
McKevitt, then an employee of a warehouse, told the paper that he put a dollar into a vending machine in order to purchase a Twix bar, which cost 90 cents. That is, of course, a great deal when you consider that Twix bars are actually two candy bars in one.
But disaster struck when the candy bar got stuck in the holder.
"I was, like, 'oh, man,'" McKevitt told the Register. "So I put in another dollar, and then it wouldn't do anything."
At this point, desperate for some creamy, crispy, crunchy goodness, McKevitt got in a nearby forklift and drove it towards the vending machine.
RELATED: A Brief History of Girl Scout Cookies and Medical Marijuana
Here McKevitt's account and the state records differ. McKevitt said he simply used the forklift to move the vending machine back in place against the wall. The state said McKevitt used the forklift to lift the vending machine up and then drop it on the floor "at least six times." This earned him not one Twix bar (which, again, is actually two bars) but three!
It also got him fired. And denied unemployment benefits.
McKevitt's efforts were not in vain, however. He said the warehouse now has all new vending machines, enabling all of his former co-workers to get Twix bars without having to resort to heavy machinery.
Lifehacker recommends a less violent and less fireable method of retrieving stuck vending machine items:
The trick is to get your hands under the flap at the retrieval, push it up, and let it snap back quickly. Repeating this motion a few times can sometimes create enough air to help your snack fall out of place when shaking the machine doesn't work (or you don't want to draw attention by doing it). If you're unsuccessful after a few tries you should instead consider calling for help or a refund.
The article did not say if McKevitt was going for caramel or peanut butter Twix.
This article was originally published at http://www.thewire.com/national/2014/02/twix-loving-man-fired-attacking-twix-withholding-vending-machine-forklift/358351/
Read more from The Wire
• Christie First Post-Scandal Town Hall Meeting Was Awkward
• Arizona Might Make it Legal to Refuse Service to Gays for 'Religious Reasons'
