A Tiny Wooden Ferry

The wooden bead was still tucked safely in the soft curl of my trunk. Where should it go? I padded across the hallway toward a low woven canvas basket resting beside the shoes. Hanging over its rim was a stray white sneaker lace, dangling almost to the floor. Step... pause. I lifted my front paws onto the sturdy rubber toe of a sneaker. Gently, I pushed the round bead against the hanging lace. Tap... it bumped and swayed, swinging like a little pendulum in the calm indoor air. I watched it rock back and forth until it gently settled into the shoe's open collar.