“Go help your sister finish up her reading homework in the front room.”

I lifted the wire strainer out of the last rinse bowl and tipped the clean copper onto three layers of paper towels.

The coins gleamed bright and clean under the light, with no trace left of Dale’s heavy gear lube.

I scooped them up a handful at a time and dropped them into the dented red metal coffee can sitting beside my notepad.

Every handful hit the tin bottom with a sharp metallic clink.