He reached for his heavy black plastic key fob.

He swiped the fob across the wall sensor beside the steel elevator frame.

A green light flashed twice on the wall panel, and the heavy metal doors unlocked with a deep pneumatic clunk.

My mother stepped into the car before the doors had fully opened.

“It must be wonderful to do such meaningful work every single night,” she said.

“It keeps us busy,” Marcus said.

He pressed the round lit button for the third floor.