A Tiny Opponent

Perched on that railing was fine, but a flash of movement down by the terracotta flowerpot caught my attention. A plump, glossy brown snail was slowly trekking across the rough outdoor saucer. Slow, sure, and completely unbothered by my presence. An endurance challenge? I hopped down from the rail, landed softly on the concrete tiles, and planted my boots right in its path. I squatted down, resting my arms across my knees, waiting to see if it would dare alter its course. It just waved two slender antennae toward my boot tip and kept gliding straight on. Bold little creature. I gave it a respectful nod and let it pass.