The Leaf Ferry

I leaned over the rim of the shallow stone birdbath, where a broad yellow maple leaf was floating flat on the water. Curious to see how steady it was, I retrieved a smooth, dry cherry pit from the grass. Working with both paws, I carefully lowered the round stone right onto the center of the leaf. The damp stem bobbed, sending three tidy rings rippling toward the stone rim, but the leaf held firm without taking on a drop. Using a slender pine needle, I gave the leaf stem a gentle nudge. It glided across the surface like a sturdy ferry, carrying its little cargo safely to the opposite edge.