A Clean Click

I climbed up the lower shelf using the spine of an oversized art monograph for leverage. Tucked behind a row of paperbacks was a vintage black cassette player, its matte plastic lightly coated in dust. I pressed my palm against the tactile surface, testing the balance of the eject hinge. With a firm, deliberate push using both hands, the mechanical compartment snapped open smoothly. Inside rested an old clear tape with worn magnetic ribbon. I ran a fingertip along the spooled wheel, giving it a tiny spin to test the tension before letting the latch rest open to catch the morning light.