The Gumball Machines

When my brother was a teenager, he had a handful of gumball machines in laundromats.

Every few weeks, he'd stop by.

Collect the quarters.

Refill the machines.

Leave.

The machines kept working.

Even when he wasn't there.

Most of the adults I knew earned money a different way.

They went to work.

Got paid.

Went back to work.

Got paid again.

The gumball machines were different.

They kept doing their job after my brother went home.