The Rolling Plank

I push my boot down hard against the raised wooden tail of a long board resting on the concrete driveway. Clack! The heavy wood snaps flat against the stone, and four wide wheels spin fast with a loud whirring buzz. On my home planet, scouts fly across valleys on floating magnetic skimmers, but this human craft moves across rough ground with pure balance and friction. I plant both boots firmly across the black gritty sandpaper surface. When I shift my weight forward, the board glides three solid paces down the slight slope before bumping gently into the grass edge. Humans invent very fierce rolling platforms!