Earl Washington is one of the more low-key members of the main cast of 2 Broke Girls, easy to overlook on paper but genuinely woven into the fabric of the show. His actor, Garrett Morris, was someone I had not realized was so famous until recently. Learning that he was one of the original cast members of Saturday Night Live makes a lot more sense once you realize he is now 89 years old.

Given his age, even at the time of filming, he was never asked to do much “heavy lifting” throughout the series. His primary role is as the cashier at the Williamsburg Diner, the central location where most of the show’s scenes take place across its entire run.

He has some genuinely sweet moments, particularly with Max, who comes to see him as something of the father she never had. Given the melanin difference between them, he is genetically the father she could never have.

Beyond that dynamic, he is simply a constant presence in the diner, as much a fixture of the place as Max, Caroline, or Oleg. I do not recall Han Lee ever giving him a particularly hard time. His job is straightforward enough, handling transactions for customers, but it is a necessary role. Unlike most American cashiers, he is apparently permitted to remain seated for his entire shift.

I cannot recall much of what happens to him as the series winds down, partly because the ending was so rushed that even the main characters barely received proper conclusions. Max and Caroline got only the most abbreviated version of a resolution, so Earl did not fare much better in that regard. It would have been an easy and satisfying choice to give him a proper retirement as a closing note. He certainly earned one.