Straight Off the Yellow Curb

Smooth asphalt gave way to a yellow-painted street curb running alongside a quiet sidewalk newsstand. I lined my tires up with the beveled curb edge, building brisk speed along the smooth, baked-on traffic paint. Halfway down, a glossy plastic strap dropped from a newspaper bundle bridged the curb drop like a tightrope. No braking. I drove right onto the narrow strip, kept steering razor-straight, and launched into a clean leap down to the shaded pavement beneath the kiosk shelf. Wheels hit pavement with zero bounce. Momentum conserved, line secured.