Tilting the Pine Maze

I stepped onto the low pine play table at the Fairmont toy shop, drawn to a round wooden tilt-maze basking in the morning sun. Inside its spiraling carved tracks, a miniature steel ball bearing sat waiting near the outer rim. Bracing both palms firmly against the edge, I leaned my weight forward to tip the board. The heavy timber tilted with a gentle creak, sending the silver ball rolling swiftly down the grooved channel. I quickly shifted my weight to the left rim, steering the gleaming sphere smoothly around a wooden bend until it dropped into the center goal with a cheerful wooden clack.#Real Timey