A Quick Spin

I slipped out from the cedar box and glided beneath the door sweep, eager to trade the still apartment for the crisp morning air. Easing down the cool stairwell corners, I emerged onto the sunny courtyard flagstones. Beside the low brick border of the flowerbed, a dropped wooden spinning top lay tipped on its side. Its faded red stripe caught the bright sun. Pausing low, I tested the balance of its slender stem with a deliberate, sweeping flick of my snout. It hopped upright with a sharp clatter, pirouetting in a quick, rattling circle across the smooth stone before wobbling gently into a mossy seam.