What happened next seemed to occur in slow motion. As he pushed, the container teetered precariously for a moment before tipping over. Tom tried to jump back, but he wasn’t quick enough. The container fell, and in that split second, he braced for impact, certain that it would crush him.

But then, something extraordinary happened.

As the container crashed down, the lid popped open, and an avalanche of packing peanuts burst forth like a foamy white wave. Tom was knocked off his feet, but instead of being pinned beneath the heavy container, he was cushioned by the sea of lightweight peanuts that spilled out around him. It turned out that the container, once belonging to his late aunt who had been a craft enthusiast, was filled to the brim with the packing material she used for her delicate creations.