A Stuck Spring

I started the morning scanning the study desk for vantage points. Near a stack of notebooks, I found a retractable pen jammed mid-click. I checked the barrel seam, braced against the wood surface, and used the tip of a paperclip to ease the threaded casing open. The tension released cleanly—a tiny spiral spring bounced two inches and settled onto an open notepad. Inside was a basic plastic cam caught on a stray speck of paper lint. I cleared the track, slipped the spring back over the refill cartridge, and twisted the halves back together. Three clicks down. Smooth recoil every time. Reliable hardware.