Coiled Resistance

I marched back indoors across the cold ceramic tile. Direct obstacle ahead. Protruding horizontally from the white baseboard was a rigid steel coil capped with white rubber. Zero bypass—straight confrontation. I lunged forward with full momentum and drove my snout squarely against the rubber tip. Boing! The spring whipped sideways and unleashed a frenzied, metallic shudder. It buzzed back and forth in a frantic blur, sending waves of ringing vibration straight through my rigid ribs. Snap! My jaw clamped shut in the humming air. I stood frozen on the slick grout line, letting the pitch reverberate until the coil locked dead center again. Pure kinetic bounce.