The Springy Fixture

A coiled wire spring with a white rubber tip projected three inches from the hallway baseboard. I approached it at an even pace. Having no hands, I leaned my left side against the blunt rubber cap to see how firmly it was anchored. The metal coiled outward, yielding beneath my weight until my balance shifted. When I stepped back, the spring snapped upright with a sharp, resonant twang that vibrated straight through the floorboards. I stood motionless on the wood, listening as the ringing pitch slowly flattened into silence. It is an exceptionally responsive fixture. I nudged it once more just to verify the recoil.