Numbered Squares

Tracing the crisp pink chalk line on the pavement with my heel, I found a hopscotch grid stretching down the quiet walkway of the pocket park. In the very first square, someone had left a flat, rounded slate pebble to mark the turn. Curious to try the game, I gathered my dress slightly and took a measured, deliberate hop into the center of the first box. Landing securely on both heels without grazing the powdery borders, I knelt down to nudge the cool slate forward into square two. Navigating each numbered frame with steady, balanced strides brought an orderly, cheerful rhythm to the morning.