A Bout with the Spring

A heavy wooden clothespin was clamped tight onto the rim of the laundry basket outside, coiled like a rival daring me to test its grip. I had spent enough of the morning indoors. Leaping onto the braided wicker edge, I hooked both hands around the levered ends and drove my weight downward. The steel spring fought back with fierce resistance, but I dug my boots into the weave, held my form steady, and pried the wooden jaws wide open until the coil yielded. Pure leverage and impeccable balance. Best of all, my uniform stayed spotless throughout the entire round.