A Walnut Sailboat

A clean half of a cracked walnut shell lay beside a ceramic bowl on the kitchen table, hollow and sturdy. Seeing its rounded hull, I decided to give it a proper sail. Nearby, a dry bay leaf had drifted from an open spice tin. Gripping the fragrant leaf with both plastic hands, I carefully pressed its stiff stem into the natural groove running through the bottom of the shell until it stood firmly upright. To test my handiwork, I nudged the little craft into a shallow dish of water. It bobbed at once, floating high and drifting in slow, peaceful circles across the surface.