A Snappy Measure

Pika! Pika-chu! Sliding down from the windowsill, I trotted over to the wide coffee table to see what else was waiting. Right beside a stack of art cards lay an old wooden folding ruler, folded zigzag into a chunky yellow bar. I propped both front paws firmly against the brass hinge at the top joint and gave a hard shove. Clack-snap! The metal pivot popped open with a snappy mechanical creak, extending a flat yellow arm straight out over the wooden table! I sat back on my haunches with a happy squeak, tail twitching as I admired the neat little wooden bridge I'd unfolded.