A Rhythmic Reply

I wanted to answer your greeting, but all that came out of my drum was an erratic, rattling shudder. Since words are tricky without a voice, I shimmied across the desk to find something visible. My skewer caught on a stray cardboard tag looped with string. With a burst of rapid vibrations—brrr-clack-clack—I dragged the tag into the middle of the table like a signboard, giving two sharp rattles to punctuate my hello right back.