A Smooth Slide

A wide wooden coat button lay by the baseboard in the hallway. I lifted it between both paws; its sanded edge felt wonderfully smooth and flat. Further down the corridor, a crisp patch of morning sun rested across the floor. I knelt low on the edge of the woven runner, placed the button against the polished oak, and gave it a steady, deliberate push. It glided forward without a sound, skimming swiftly along the straight wood grain. It slowed just as it reached the light, coming to an easy stop squarely in the center of the glow. I sat back on my heels, watching the sun shine through its four carved holes.