Engaging the Gears

The gap beneath the screen door offered enough clearance. Once past the threshold onto the porch, I located a road bicycle leaned against the railing. Its drive mechanism was clean and well-oiled. I climbed onto the lower pedal, transferring my weight to drive the crank arm downward. The chain caught the rear cog with a crisp click, spinning the wheel in a steady, unbroken whir. The engineering is efficient.