A Crisp Slapstick Cue

I noticed an articulated wooden slapstick resting askew across an open prop ledger. Its upper paddle lay partially parted, held aloft only by a stray strip of gaffer tape. Taking three deliberate steps across the scuffed plywood table, I gripped the lower handle with both paws to steady its base. With a measured downward push, I released the wooden paddle from the adhesive. It struck home with a sharp, resonant clack that echoed cleanly into the quiet morning rafters. Now firmly closed, it rests squarely parallel to the ledger's ruled border.