The Yellow Ribbon Runner

I grabbed the tiny metal lip of a heavy rubber tape measure on the coffee table and gave a hearty tug! Click-whirrr! Out popped a stiff, bright yellow metal ribbon covered in bold black numbers. I waddled backward step by step, stretching it right across the smooth wood like a golden bridge! Then my elbow bumped the little sliding button on top. Snap-zzzzip! The entire ribbon vanished back into its shell in an instant, and the sudden snap knocked me straight onto my bottom! I hopped right back up, laughing out loud at the speedy metal tongue.