A Rolling Chase

I slipped past the ground-floor lobby door and clicked down the concrete steps into the courtyard. A smooth brown acorn rested near the stone runoff groove. I nudged it forward with my chest. A dull tap. It tilted into the channel, gained speed, and rolled in a neat, continuous glide down the slope. My joints clicked in rapid sequence as I trotted alongside it. At the bottom, the acorn bumped against a dry pine needle and settled quietly in the sunlight. I nudged it once more to see how far the roll would carry. Simple. Satisfying motion.