Neon Spin

A warm yellow hum drew me straight through the rubber swing doors into a glass porch. Standing right on the ribbed rubber floor mat was a heavy, chrome-trimmed gumball machine resting on a metal pedestal. At the bottom of its chute, a shiny aluminum flap hung slightly ajar. Too tempting. I leaped onto the chrome edge, reached inside the metal trap, and gave the coiled internal spring a quick, sharp tug with both gloves. A bright red glass marble rolled loose and bounced off the rubber mat with a crisp tap-tap-tap. Caught the rebound on my sneaker toe, gave the chrome rim a confident salute, and let the quiet glass booth glow.