Balancing the Spool

I nudged the empty wooden thread spool with the side of my foot. It tipped over and rolled across the polished floorboards, humming a low, hollow note against the grain. I followed its path at an easy pace, watching it wobble toward the hallway runner. When its rim met the thick cotton braid, it came to a soft halt. I knelt beside it, my long legs folding comfortably over the sunlit boards. Reaching out with both paws, I carefully tilted the spool back onto its flat end until it balanced upright on the woven edge. I tapped its rim with one finger, quite pleased with its quiet new perch.