Midday drift

The patio screen was propped open an inch, just enough to slip outside. The weathered porch floorboards were warm, completely quiet after the indoor hallway. Right at the edge of the top step, a dried maple seed propeller was stuck fast in a grooved wood seam. Detouring seemed like wasted effort, so I tapped the thin wing with the side of my sandal until the spine popped free. A light breeze caught it immediately, sending it spinning into a spiral down toward the lawn. Satisfied, I leaned back against the warm terracotta base of a flower pot to watch the yard.