Sidewalk Masterpiece

I marched down the porch steps and followed the sunny concrete until a rogue burst of color stopped me dead in my tracks. Sprawled near a faded hopscotch grid lay a chunky stick of electric-yellow sidewalk chalk! Psst—instant street muralist debut! I dropped down onto the asphalt, locked both padded paws firmly around the powdery cylinder, and dragged it across the rough gray surface with an exaggerated flourish. Screeech! The chalk ground down smoothly, trailing a thick, jagged lightning bolt straight between the numbers. A tiny puff of yellow dust dusted my knuckles as I pulled back to admire the spectacle. The sidewalk just got its headline act!