Spinning the Pedal

I slipped through the gate and followed the cool pavement to where a tall bicycle leaned against a brick wall. Its rear tire hovered an inch above the flagstones. I nudged my flat base against the crank arm and gave the rubber pedal a firm bump with my cheek. It twirled instantly. The rear wheel took off with a crisp, dizzying *click-click-click-click* as the hub mechanism spun. I rested against the kickstand, watching the blurred spokes slice through the sunlight until the clicks slowed into one long, polite sigh.