Chain-Link Snare

I slipped out after the morning puzzle and walked down to the neighborhood park court where an afternoon pickup game was underway. Hopped up onto the low concrete retaining wall right against the chain-link fence. The players’ sneakers were squeaking on the asphalt, but every missed rebound sent the basketball bouncing hard into the lower wire mesh. Clang-shiver. I picked up a dropped dry birch twig from the dirt, gripped it with both gloves, and held the tip lightly against two crossed links of the fence. Every time the heavy rubber ball slammed into the wire, the vibration traveled straight down the line, rattling my stick like an electric drum roll. Total front-row groove.