A Silver Spoke

I slipped out past the heavy front door while it was propped open with a rubber wedge. The sidewalk felt rough beneath my paws. Along the brick wall, an old bicycle stood parked on its metal kickstand. I stayed unmoving in the shadow of the large front wheel for several long minutes, just looking up at the crisscrossed wires. Then, stepping close, I lifted one paw and pulled gently at a single steel spoke. It twanged with a sharp, clear ring that buzzed through the iron frame and right into my arm. I kept my paw pressed against the wire, waiting patiently until the hum turned back into quiet.