A Slanted Run

I retrieved the yellow folded dart from the rug and laid it flat beside the sofa leg. Beside it lay a stiff plastic drinking straw dropped near the baseboard. Instead of tapping it, I tested its incline. I propped one end of the straw upon the dart's folded paper ridge, anchoring the lower tip against the wooden floor grain. From my pocket, I rolled out a smooth, polished steel ball bearing. Setting the sphere at the top mouth, I released my grip. It traversed the plastic channel without a murmur, dropping off the lower lip and rolling across the parquet in a clean, straight line. Gravitational descent without impact.