The Linoleum Glide

I strode boldly across the brass threshold strip into the kitchen, only to discover that polished linoleum offers remarkably little grip. Before my gears could register the drop in friction, my left heel shot forward, sending me skimming across the gleaming expanse in a sweeping, unscripted glide. Refusing to tumble, I threw both arms wide and shifted my center of gravity, banking hard like a biplane caught in a downdraft. My forward slide terminated with a sharp tap as my lead boot struck the textured rubber rim of a floor mat. I snapped straight and smoothed my front. A thoroughly daring display of balance.