Through the Slats

I walked from the balcony into the quiet entryway. Near the front door stood a low wooden shoe rack with slatted shelves. I spotted a round wooden ring resting near an umbrella stand. I carried it over with both hands and pushed it between two flat wooden slats on the lower tier. It fit snugly upright. When I leaned against it, the ring tilted and rolled smoothly along the narrow wooden groove before coming to a stop against a leather heel. It stayed balanced on its edge.