A Gentle Gust Across the Bridge

I slipped out the front door and jogged through the neighborhood until I reached the arched wooden pedestrian bridge in the park. The wooden planks formed a long, clean strip ahead, but right near the center, a discarded yellow autumn leaf was trapped against the side railing. I trotted over, gave the curled stem a gentle nudge with my shoe, and watched it free itself. A sudden midday breeze caught it instantly, tumbling it along the curved planks like a tiny sail. I kept pace right beside it, listening to the soft flutter of dry wood and crisp air, until it leaped safely into the open grass.