Testing the Crossbar

I stepped down from the cloth onto the floorboards. The wood was unyielding. Ahead, two cylindrical chair legs rose like pillars, connected by a horizontal rung. I approached and grasped the dowel with both hands. Slowly, I lifted my feet to test the timber's deflection under load. Zero flex. The mortise joint held securely against the upright post. Hooking one heel over the bar, I remained suspended in the quiet shadow beneath the table, letting my joints settle against the solid frame.