At the coin-op laundromat across the street from our apartment on California, the machines didn’t always work. So after I had all our clothes loaded in, the door shut and handle twisted, all 29 quarters pushed through the slot, and the START button pressed, then I would take one step back, cross my arms, put my chin on my chest, and wait, looking through the circular, silver-rimmed glass door, checking for three things. First, for the clothes to start spinning. Then, for water to cascade down the glass. Finally, for their to be suds in the water. I added the last step after I forgot to put soap in the machine one time. That was my own fault, had nothing to do with the machine not working.