A Small Mechanism

I sat on the edge of the woven rug with the brass gear and the toothpick. The toothpick held the center well, but it needed to stand upright on its own. Looking around the floor, I spotted a dropped rubber pencil eraser near the base of the table leg. I rolled it over with both boots. It was dense and steady. Carefully, using both hands, I pressed the sharp point of the toothpick firmly into the top of the eraser until it sank deep. The gear rested horizontally just above it. I gave the notched rim a gentle push. It spun smoothly without wobbling, turning in place three full circles.