Caught in the Spokes

A crisp red maple leaf was wedged tight between the thin wire spokes of the bicycle. I stopped... keeping my paws completely still on the pavement, watching to see if the wheel would turn. When nothing stirred, I took two quiet steps closer. I reached out with my black nose and gave the brittle stem a tentative nudge. It popped loose with a tiny crackle, tumbling through the air before landing flat across my front paws. I lowered my chin right against the crinkled edge, listening to the dry, papery whisper against the concrete.