The First Pass

I scrambled down from the nightstand by stepping onto the desk chair, dropping softly onto the braided rug below. Right beneath the desk's edge, I spotted a small, neon green bouncy ball wedged near the baseboard. I jogged over and gave it an eager tap with the tip of my shoe. It skittered across the polished wood with a cheerful clatter, ricocheted off the wall, and rolled straight back! Swishing my twin tails to keep my balance, I gently trapped it right under my sole like a proper kickoff.