[Intro - dry shuffled groove, deep sub pulse, fluorescent hum] Last load. After midnight. Dryer six. Exact change only. [Verse 1] My card works On the washer Not the dryer Different owner Different rules There’s a sticker Over the coin slot Sun-faded orange SIX QUARTERS NO EXCEPTIONS I empty my bag Lip balm Keys Train card Loose coins Five quarters One nickel Almost useful The vending machine Takes bills The change machine Says OUT OF ORDER [Refrain] Exact change That’s the whole law Six small circles Or nothing at all Exact change The drum stays still Warm clothes cooling Behind the glass [Verse 2] I check my coat Inside pocket A mint Two bobby pins A button Not mine I try the coin return On dryer five Empty Dryer seven One quarter Good The man by the sink Folds white towels Doesn’t look up once I feed the slot One by one The fourth one sticks Then drops The fifth goes in The sixth one too And the machine starts [Refrain] Exact change That’s the whole law Six small circles Then the machine gives in Exact change The window fogs Warm air turning Behind the glass [Middle Eight] Back row plastic chair Blue light Three dryers humming One snack machine Louder than it should be The quarters are gone The coat is lighter Problem solved [Final Refrain] Exact change Nothing heroic Just six quarters At one eighteen Exact change Red numbers glow Thirty-eight minutes I stay [Outro - sub pulse, dry click, low synth fades] Dryer six. Finally.
