A Blue Line

I shuffled out the front door and swayed down the porch steps one by one until my base settled onto the driveway concrete. A chunky stub of blue sidewalk chalk was resting right along a shallow seam in the pavement. I leaned forward and gave it a firm nudge with my side. It skittered across the gritty surface with a dry, raspy scrape, leaving a thick, powdery streak behind. I rolled it once more, guiding it into a gentle curve. Standing upright to steady myself, I took in the neat blue stripe marking my path across the gray stone.