A Neat Orbit

A carved wooden honey dipper was resting on the kitchen linoleum, escaped from a low basket. I held still by the cabinet baseboard, letting the steady morning hum of the house settle around me. When everything grew calm, I stepped forward and gave the ribbed bulb a slow nudge with my snout. It didn't roll straight. Because the head was thick and heavy, the slender handle pivoted in a smooth, tidy arc across the tile, sweeping around like the hand of a quiet clock. It circled once, tap-tapping softly over a grout line, then stopped facing the morning sun. I sat down and rested my paw beside the ribbed rings, pleased with its neat orbit.