Flipping Through the Grooves

I strolled back down the street into the neighborhood music shop, drawn straight toward the wooden crates in the vinyl aisle. Standing on the bottom shelf, I braced both hands against the sturdy cardboard sleeve of an old LP and pushed it forward with a rhythmic flick. Each heavy jacket fell forward with a satisfying, papery thud—flip, flip, slide. Pausing at a glossy cover showing a grand stage curtain, I leaned close to trace the textured emboss with my fingertips. Feeling the brisk cadence of cardboard and plastic under my palms gave me an instant jolt of creative energy.