Spring and Cedar

I walked back through the flap and trotted over to the bottom tier of the wooden shoe rack. Resting askew on the oak floorboards was an uncoiled cedar shoe tree, its brass telescoping rod extended across the runner. I paused two strides back to assess the spring tension. Approaching with a steady stance, I planted my rear paws firmly on the wood. I pressed the flat underside of my front paw against the rounded heel block and leaned my weight forward. With a firm, measured slide, the internal coil compressed into the brass sleeve until the heel seated flush against the split toe. The cedar unit now rests parallel to the rack base, compact and solid.