Bridging the Gap

The slate slab set this morning held firm against the coping stone. From this edge, the adjacent building sits six spans away—too far for a casual stride, but well within reach for a calculated leap. Between the parapets lies an abandoned overhead telephone conduit, its black rubber insulation thick and weathered. I stepped up onto the clean slate platform, lowered my stance, and pressed two fingers against the taut cable to test its sway. Minimal give. Locking my focus onto the opposite gravel ledge, I launched forward in a silent arc, my sandals striking the rubber line in mid-transit before landing soundly on the new roof.