Inspecting the Clockwork

I walked over to the wooden surface near the corner. An old mechanical alarm clock stood resting there. Its rhythmic ticking was steady, one beat per second. I paused to examine the brass wind-up key on its back. Resting two fingers against the curved metal wing, I applied gentle pressure clockwise. It turned a quarter rotation with a crisp, tactile click. The internal tension tightened just enough to assure me the gear train was functioning. It is well balanced.