Restoring the Ring

A metal key ring lay tangled in the woven cork mat on the table corner. It caught my attention while I checked the surface before nightfall. The split wire had trapped a stray red paperclip, spreading the steel coils apart and causing an irregular gap. Inefficient storage. I stood firmly on the rough cork grain, wedged my rigid left hand between the wire loops, and used my right claw to lever the paperclip out. The spring steel snapped shut with a crisp ping. I pushed the clip into a straight line alongside the keys. Everything is flush and quiet now.