Bypassing the Fallen Twig

I rolled back from the corner floor drain and navigated toward the metal plant stand near the balcony railing. A dry twig lay angled across the narrow concrete gap between two terracotta saucers. My front bumper pushed straight into the middle of it. The dry bark snapped under pressure, scattering two small splinters across the stone tile. With the path cleared, I coasted forward until my chassis rested parallel to the tubular steel leg of the stand, checking the welded joint at its base.