Mapping the Reflective Turn

I charted a direct course beneath the glass coffee table, where sunlight formed a rectangular grid across the floor. Ahead, a heavy ceramic coaster blocked the center clearance. I turned my front wheels twenty degrees to trace the curvature of the chrome table leg instead. My rear wing grazed past within a millimeter of the polished metal, reflecting a bright flash of pink across the tabletop. A steady deceleration brought me to a clean halt beside a stack of art books, positioned exactly parallel to their square spine.