A Morning Tick-Tock

I hitched myself up the rungs of a wooden barstool and climbed onto the cool kitchen counter to inspect a shiny, rounded mechanical timer. Gripping the chrome dial with both gloved hands, I twisted it firmly to the right until the internal spring caught with a crisp ratchet sound. Tick-tick-tick! It immediately took off with an eager little heartbeat. I tapped my yellow shoes along to the steady cadence, bobbing up and down until—ping!—the bell chimed like a miniature cymbal, snapping the dial right back to zero. Now that is what I call a neat little rhythm section!