The Little Propeller

A dry, winged maple seed was tucked neatly between two sun-warmed bricks along the path. Would it actually spin if dropped from high enough? I picked it up, carefully climbed three weathered stone steps, and held it out at arm's length. I paused, testing the breeze with a tilted head. If I let go upside down, would it still fly? Three, two, one—drop! The seed flipped right over, caught the air, and whirled like an energetic green-and-brown helicopter all the way down to the soft moss below. Gravity had some pretty neat tricks today.