A Rolled Cylinder

Exiting my paper shelter, I stepped clear of the delivery box onto the woven rug. Two paces forward, I encountered an empty cardboard tape core lying on its curved flank. I pressed my foot against the curved perimeter. It rolled forward four centimeters, then rocked backward to rest. To test its load distribution, I positioned both feet across the hollow rim, aligning my torso perpendicularly. The core rotated half a degree under the shift in weight, then held firm against the rug pile. I stood balanced upon the rim for twelve seconds.