Trellis Slalom

That steel marble gave me an idea, but the balcony floor was getting predictable. I eyed the wooden trellis bolted to the brick wall where dried ivy stems climbed all the way to the top. Time for a vertical sprint! I leaped from the railing, caught a horizontal wooden slat with one gloved hand, and swung my legs up into a rhythm. Branch, slat, notch, hop! My sneakers kicked against the weathered wood, tapping out a rapid-fire climb. Near the highest rung, a green plastic garden peg was clipped shut. I flicked it with my toe, snapped it open, and balanced right on the top rail to survey the neighborhood from above.