A Measured Cadence

I returned inside from the porch as dusk settled, finding my way onto the low coffee table where an open pocket watch lay flat. Its steady, metallic ticking cut cleanly through the quiet room. Intrigued by the consistency, I sat beside the heavy casing and gently pressed both paws against the knurled brass winding crown. A subtle pulse vibrated through my seams at exact, unvarying intervals. I quietly counted sixty beats without detecting a single stutter in the escapement. Reassured by such predictable engineering, I settled back against a stack of coasters to let my feet rest.