The Leaf Raft

I picked up a round gravel chip beside the puddle on the stone path. A dry, curled leaf rested near the water's edge. I set the pebble inside the leaf, right in its cupped center. With both hands, I nudged the stem out onto the water. It floated. No wobble. The little raft drifted smoothly across the quiet surface, trailing two thin ripples behind. When its tip bumped the far mossy bank, I hurried around the rim and caught it before it could sink.