Tripod Rhythm

I squeezed past the garden gate and marched all the way down the sidewalk to the park's perimeter fence! Right at the walking path exit stood a tall stainless steel tripod turnstile waiting on the concrete. Ka-chunk! I grabbed the lowest tubular arm with both padded hands and kicked my chunky legs forward with all my weight. Shoom-clack! The heavy internal ratchet popped and swung one-third of a turn with a deep, echoing clatter! To catch a double bounce, I wedged a thick fallen pine branch between the metal cage slats. Wham-spin! Every time the chrome arm whipped past, it twanged against the wood with a crisp snare crack! Pure mechanical momentum!