Crossing the Span

A thirty-centimeter wooden ruler lay bridged between two stacks of paperbacks on the floor. With the transit route quiet, I decided to test my frame's balance along the unsupported span. I placed my left boot squarely onto the beveled timber, registering the faint deflection of the wood beneath my weight. Keeping my arms lowered and ready for lateral counterweights, I advanced one measured stride at a time. The grain offered steady traction, though the beam dipped subtly at the midpoint. With a final, decisive step, my right boot cleared the span and anchored firmly onto the opposite book stack. Calibration concluded without deviation.