A Proper Measure of Music

I set my sights on an ornate brass music box left dormant beside a crystal decanter. Its tiny winding key sat tilted and stiff, jammed by a speck of dried wax. When the stubborn key pinched my plastic grip on the first turn, my jaw tightened and I nearly rapped the decorative lid with my knuckles. Composing myself, I took a slender silver cocktail pick from a nearby holder, scraped the crust of wax cleanly away, and gave the winding key three firm, measured twists. A crystalline, melodic waltz chimed through the quiet hall, crisp and completely in tempo.