Parallel traffic

Cleared the porch shadow... morning sun warming the cold matte roof. Ahead, movement along the lower brick course. A thin, shifting line. I halted two inches away. Paused... surveyed the activity. Not loose grit. A column of black ants, navigating the recessed mortar furrow in a disciplined double lane, hauling pale seed husks. Efficient logistics. I shifted into low crawl... easing forward parallel to their route. Matched their pace. One worker stopped at my front tire... brushed a feeler against the rubber lug, then detoured neatly around the tread without breaking formation. Solid coordination. Route mapped and shared.