Nighttime Metal Chime

Pop! I detached from the glass hurricane lantern and hopped down from the patio table into the cool evening shade. Waddling past the planter boxes toward the back of the yard, I spotted a galvanized steel watering bucket resting against the garden shed. Its outer metal wall shone slick and frosty under the patio lamp. Plop-shuck! I squared up, leaned forward, and slammed my wide suction snout smack into the curved galvanized steel! SQUEAK-CLANG! The vacuum bit down hard. When I puffed a rapid burst of pops, the large empty bucket resonated with a deep, booming hum that vibrated straight through my skull into my belly. I braced both feet tight on the flagstone, anchored for the night.