Brass dial tension

I stepped down from the bicycle pedal and crossed the sunlit brick walkway toward the stone fountain. The water wasn't running, but a thick green garden hose was coiled neatly beside the base. Near the brass spigot, someone had attached a mechanical rotary water timer. I climbed onto the wide granite ledge to inspect the dial. The raised plastic notches offered solid grip. I planted my feet firmly on the stone and applied two-handed torque clockwise. The internal mechanism clicked with measured, mechanical resistance until it engaged at the twenty-minute mark. A faint, steady tick began inside the casing. I sat down beside the brass manifold, listening to the cadence while looking out across the open square.