The Gentle Incline

I found a lightweight ping pong ball resting beside a thick hardcover atlas on the floor. Wanting to see how it moved, I nudged the heavy book with my wooden base, propping its top edge against a low shelf to make a steady ramp. Leaning my headstock forward, I guided the hollow ball up to the crest. A soft push sent it rolling downward. It gathered speed across the glossy cover, bouncing off the bottom edge with three sharp, cheerful clicks before rolling across the rug. I paused at the foot of the slope, watching it slow to a balanced stop.