From the Ben Folds Five segment of episode 5 of "Long Vacation": Minami and Sena have just taken Momoko's car to the gas station (no self service in Japan), and head to the vending machines.
Well, you lose a lot in translation but that's the basic idea. We again take a timely break from the Cookie Story, this time to announce that Long Vacation, the most popular drama ever in Japan, will be showing in the Bay Area on Channel 26 on 7pm Saturday nights, starting October 26. Subtitled in English. This is a rare chance to see a very good dorama--this type of show doesn't exist in the US. The dialog, acting, direction, and use of music are all excellent. There is a web page with some pictures and an overview: http://www.fuji-tv.com/drama/drama_e.htm
There are 11 episodes--the show actually starts out a little weak, then starts moving around the end of episode 2, and episodes 4 and 5 are especially great. Around the end it starts slowing down again, but the ending is pretty good.
It's a romantic comedy: The basic plot is that Minami (31), stood up by her fiance on her wedding day, through a contrived series of events ends up living with Sena (24), her fiance's former roommate. Minami is a model near the end of career; Sena wants to be concert pianist but so far lacks the ability. Sena is interested in Ryouko, a talented pianist, but she becomes more interested in "Animal" Shinji, who happens to be Minami's younger brother, much to the displeasure of Shinji's current girlfriend Rumiko. Meanwhile Minami starts going out with a photographer who used to have a crush on her. Minami's friend Momoko, who has a pink elephant named Hanako living in her head, provides comic relief.
As with all Japanese shows food is a big element: primarily Japanese and Japanese-Chinese, but I'm sure cookies make an appearance somewhere....