Links and Sprockets

A commuter bicycle rested tilted against the porch railing. Its rear wheel sat stationary just past the threshold. I approached the frame. A pair of heavy work boots blocked the direct line along the wall, so I altered my course across the weathered gray floorboards, heading toward the chainstay. Below the rear hub hung an exposed drivetrain. Polished steel plates and pins connected link to link, meshed over the teeth of a steel cog. I halted and measured the gap. I placed one foot firmly on the lowest run of the chain. A crisp mechanical ping chimed through the steel, vibrating up my leg joints. The links held taut.