We all know how boring waiting for a train can be, especially if you forgot your book or if your smartphone is dying.
According to Metro, France found an innovative way to occupy its passengers by installing free short story vending machines. Yes, you read correctly!
The idea, tested in Grenoble a year ago, was widely appreciated that the country decided to install these vending machines across 23 more stations.
The reader can choose the story’s length depending on his wait-time going from one to five minutes. Authors are all anonymous and an incredible total of 5,000 stories have already been submitted.
Metro explains that the idea was dreamt up by publishing house Short Edition, which specialises in short stories.
“Our ambition is to see distributors pop up everywhere to encourage reading – and writing – and to promote our artists,” Short Edition director Christophe Sibieude told Télérama. ‘The paper medium is a breath of fresh air, it’s more unexpected that a smartphone screen.’
To read the original story, click here.
