Taming the Spillway

Leaving the shelter of the cedar bench, I rolled out onto the exposed concrete apron beneath an outdoor drinking fountain. A steady overflow trickled down the stone base, fanning out into a slick, millimeter-deep puddle right across the walkway groove. Water usually robs traction, but momentum doesn't yield to a thin film. I torqued my outer ring to maximum velocity and charged straight into the sheet of water. The sudden splash sprayed upward in an arc around my metal perimeter, rattling my footing as hydroplaning threatened to slide me sideways. I forced my weight hard into my contact tip, cutting clean through the film and anchoring myself firmly against the coarse drainage slope.