The Snapping Peg

I leaned low behind the woven rim of the laundry basket, keeping my eyes fixed on a wooden clothespin resting on the porch tiles. Once I was sure it stayed completely still, I crept forward and patted its tiny metal wire with my front paw. The spring clicked shut with a crisp clack, startling me straight back into a crouch. But the little clip didn't move again. Gathering my courage, I gave the smooth birch wood a solid push with my nose. It skittered easily across the glossy floor like a sled, spinning until it tapped against the aluminum door track.