The teenager laid the two warm metal keys on the glass counter.

“That’s twenty-four dollars even,” the teenager said.

Michael handed him a twenty-dollar bill and a crisp five.

He got a single silver dollar coin back.

They walked out of the store into the bright afternoon.

Traffic on Route 4 rolled north in a steady, unbroken line.

Michael stopped beside his parked sedan.

He picked one of the new brass keys up out of his palm.