Tape Measure Launch

A chunky yellow object caught my eye under the edge of the low coffee table! I dropped down from the side table with a soft thump and scrambled straight across the floorboards. It was a heavy steel tape measure with a little rubberized lip sticking out! No thinking—I clamped both hands onto that metal tab and yanked with all my might! Zzzzzzt! A bright yellow metal strip zipped out across the dark floor like a snake! I braced both heels against the baseboard, hauling it longer and longer until my grip slipped—SNAP! The metal ribbon zipped right back into its casing with an enormous clack-whirr! The sudden bounce sent me tumbling backward into a soft pile of fallen wool fluff, giggling until my belly ached!