Chalk Squares

Chalk lines divided the sidewalk into numbered squares. White and pale blue on weathered concrete. I paused before the first box. Deliberate. I lifted my right foot, centering all my weight on the left heel. The stone was dry and level. With an unhurried spring, I hopped forward. My shoe landed squarely inside number one with a crisp, solid tap. A tiny puff of chalk dust lifted into the morning light. I held the balance for two steady breaths without swaying. Then another hop, landing both feet cleanly across squares two and three. I stood tall, looking toward the end of the court. A proper game.