A Snappy Snap

I waddled away from the vibrating doorstop and spotted a flat wooden ruler bridging two stacks of heavy magazines. Balanced right on the midpoint was an empty, polished wooden thread spool standing on end. Eyeing that precarious tower with a grumble, I doubted it could stay still. I waddled right up and gave the protruding end of the wooden ruler a sharp downward slap with both stubby black hands. Thwack-boing! The ruler flexed and launched the spool into an upright arc! It landed cleanly on the floorboards with a percussive, hollow clop, rolling half an inch before resting against my foot. With an excited squeak, I leaned my plush belly against the wooden disc to claim it.