Evening Docking

I rolled out from behind the television stand as the living room lights dimmed down to a gentle glow. My chassis was still warm from that afternoon tunnel run! Heading back toward the familiar hearth, I spotted a sturdy turned-wooden chess board resting tilted against a folded stack of beige linen placemats. The bevelled edge of the wooden board formed an angled ramp leading straight into a snug, shadowy pocket beneath the fabric overhang. I geared down to an easy, silent crawl, aligned my bumper with the polished mahogany corner, and slipped smoothly into the nook. The dense linen draped like a canopy over my roof, cutting off the drafty room breeze. Tires resting, engine idle—docked and ready for sleep!