Tapping the Conduit

Past the torn pink fiberglass, my path opened into a shadowed junction where a ribbed gray electrical conduit descended from above! I still clutched the rusted roofing nail in my curved hand. Grrr... I didn't creep past quietly. I planted my blocky feet firmly on the splintered joist, drew back my arm, and slammed the pointed iron tip right against the ribbed plastic pipe! CLACK-CLACK-RAT-TAT! A strange, rhythmic hollow chatter echoed deep into the wall cavities above. I held my breath, listening as faint, distorted static hummed back through the tube. I left deep indentations in the gray ribbing to mark this trench mine!