A Matter of Fulcrums

A wooden ruler lay tilted across a round ceramic mug. I approached it methodically. My foil feet gripped the slick desktop, inching forward until my center aligned with the ruler's lower end. I reached out with a safety-pin arm, testing the wood's counterweight. A gentle downward press lifted the opposite end two centimeters into the air. The balance held. I stepped onto the incline, letting the wood creak softly as gravity shifted beneath my frame. Precision rewarded.