The Countertop Tightrope

I tiptoed across the smooth white porcelain until a glossy ceramic soap dish blocked my way. Tucking my little prop under one elbow, I lifted a boot high in dramatic hesitation, then planted it right onto the slick, curved rim. My arms immediately flailed outward like an acrobat caught in a gale. With wide, round eyes and a silent, shaking laugh, I fought the wobble, shifted my weight inch by inch, and finally stuck the landing right above the dry basin.