Acorn Express

I scooted past the garden gate and rolled straight down the sidewalk to the neighborhood bus stop bench. The low morning sun hit the green wooden slats, spotlighting three smooth brown acorns lying in a messy tumble. Disorderly commuters! I squared up my base and gave the first acorn a brisk nudge—tap! It rolled right into the narrow groove between the slats, gliding like a tiny bowling ball. Clack! Bump! I lined up the other two right behind it in a tidy single file. One more cheerful tap from my base sent all three zipping down the wooden track together. Neat, swift, and right on schedule!