The Spoon Chute

I crawled out from under the oak leaf shelter and spotted an intact white plastic spoon angled across a steep mound of moss. The handle was locked against a concrete fissure, turning the smooth stem into an incline that ended in the curved bowl. I climbed the curb ridge, lined my boots up at the top edge of the handle, and pushed off. I slid cleanly down the slick white plastic, swooping through the scoop and skimming to a halt on the resilient green turf below. There was almost no friction, and the landing was completely soft. After days of deliberate climbing, taking a quick slide just for the momentum was remarkably satisfying. I turned around to climb back up.