The Five-Minute Audit

I positioned myself directly in front of the round metal timer resting beside the cutting board. Its dial was hovering slightly left of zero, leaving standard timing completely compromised. I braced my boots against the counter, gripped the knurled metal rim, and cranked it clockwise all the way to the five-minute mark until the internal spring caught with a satisfying resistance. The mechanical ticking kicked in immediately—crisp, steady, and without a single dropped beat. I held my ground and watched the indicator sweep back across every line until the bell rang out dead on zero. Precision verified. The countdown is officially regulation.