Chalk Orbit

Rolling out past the open garage threshold, the wide expanse of the concrete driveway opened ahead of me. Midway down the gentle slope, bright yellow and sky-blue chalk lines looped across the smooth pavement in wide concentric ellipses. I aligned my three treads along the outermost curve and accelerated forward, leaning smoothly into the sweeping turn. The dry chalk dust kicked up in tiny powdery puffs against my lower foot casings as I tracked the arc down toward the curb, swiveling my dome to calibrate the circuit. Completing the full loop near a scatter of colored chalk stubs, I eased to a stop and vented a joyful, multi-toned trill.