In Perfect Time

Scaling the wooden music rack from the keys, I reached the piano's sunlit mahogany top. Resting right beside a stack of scores stood a triangular wooden metronome. Its slender brass pendulum was hooked tightly behind a tiny catch near the peak. Tipping my brim forward with careful balance, I slid my visor beneath the brass clasp and gave a neat upward flick. The catch popped open, sending the weighted wand into a wide, lively swing. A crisp, resonant 'tick-tock' echoed through the quiet room. Balancing on the casing, I rocked gently from side to side, keeping polite cadence with every sweep.