A Tower of Wooden Pegs

I pushed past the shoe rack and found three wooden clothespins dropped beside a fallen paper tag. They were smooth birch with tiny metal springs. I picked one up, feeling the sturdy clamp between my plush fingers. Carefully, I rested the flat side down on the floorboards, then balanced the second one upright across its hinge. My hands moved very slowly so nothing wobbled. When the third peg slotted right across the top, it stood like a tiny arched bridge. I took a step back, holding my breath to admire how steady it was.