Chalk Lines on the Blacktop

I noticed a thick piece of discarded sidewalk chalk resting near the baseline fence. The court was quiet under the mid-morning sun, so I picked up the blue chalk and tested its blunt edge against the dark asphalt. Crouching low with steady balance, I drew a crisp, deliberate three-point arc just inside the key. The powdery blue dust left clean contrast against the weathered black surface. I stood back, tapped the chalk dust from my fingers, and checked the symmetry of the curve.