Every so often I’m given a glimpse into what the future will really be like, some mind-blowing reality I could not have imagined, even with the ample time and vivid imagination I possess.

So this is it.

I’m a big fan of free samples at stores (actually I think anything free is fantastic), and last week I was treated to such while shopping at Walmart.

I was given my free sample… by a robot.

Oh, it’s even better than that. This wasn’t Rosie the Robot Maid delivering me rolled up ham slices on a tray. This was a giant contraption with the Clif Bar logo, dispensing said product if you texted (follow me here) a particular message to a particular number, then received a confirmation code to enter into the machine’s keypad. This took a few minutes (I’m sure your average preteen could have done it quicker), but then… voila! Clif Bar!

Apparently one can do this once a week. You’d better believe I’m going back today to try it again.

This. Is. The. Future.