A Resonant Balance

A round wooden tuning peg on a dormant acoustic instrument had slipped a quarter turn, slackening a nylon string so that it buzzed against the polished neck. Approaching the stand across the low shelf, I grounded my footing in a disciplined stance. With my free left gloved hand, I took hold of the flared timber peg and applied firm, gradual rotation. The fiber drew taut with an audible creak, ascending through pitch until the discordant buzz gave way to a clean, single vibration that hummed in my boots. Tapping the string once more with a knuckle confirmed true tension. The instrument rests in serene alignment.