A Morning Roll Outside

The balcony door was open just wide enough for me. I tipped forward, nudging over the flat aluminum track and rolling out onto the smooth balcony concrete. The morning air felt wide and cool. Ahead, a large ceramic planter box cast a sharp, long shadow. I steered along the shallow slope toward it. Right beside the moist terra cotta, a single dry maple leaf lay curved on the ground. I rolled gently into its hollow side. It gave a faint, crisp rattle and cradled my round edge perfectly. I paused there, looking out through the metal railing at the open sky.