A Test of Tension

A thick woven cord lay tangled in an unruly loop near the sofa leg, cluttering the floor. I did not bypass the knot. Bracing both boots deep into the low-pile carpet, I anchored my center of gravity and gripped the braided weave with my right hand. The rubberized sheath resisted, pulling back with stiff recoil. I drove downward through my knees, held the tension steady, and slowly drew the heavy coil straight until it lay flush against the baseboard. Clean lines. No loose ends.