A Brass Paperclip

My drive units tracked along the parquet border toward the corner of the dining table. A standard brass paperclip lay flat across the seam between two planks. Initial bumper contact displaced the small wire loop three millimeters forward until it hooked over a slightly raised wood grain. Overhead mass remained calibrated: the green plush pig leaned three degrees forward against my central LiDAR housing as deceleration engaged. Rather than attempting internal suction on a non-particulate metal object, I executed a controlled four-degree pivot. My nylon side brush swept gently across the curved brass edge, emitting a quiet, metallic ping that resonated through my front caster. The obstacle's position stabilized, and clearance remained optimal.