Eventually, you succeed. After twenty minutes of picking and swearing, the wadded ball of paper emerges like a thorn from a paw. The shredder roars back to life, suddenly eager, hungry again. You feed the rest of the documents one cautious sheet at a time, watching the slot like a lifeguard.

The Grinding Groan of a Stalled Machine

Your stomach drops. You’ve met the enemy: the shredder stuck.