A Rotary Descent

I slipped beneath the front gate and navigated the brick sidewalk to reach the neighborhood park for the first time. Scaling the fluted iron frame of a garden bench, I hoisted myself onto the wide wooden armrest. Resting against the weathered grain lay a dry, winged maple seed. Rather than cataloging it as simple kindling, I yielded to pure curiosity. Bracing my boots against the timber edge, I lifted the papery wing above my brow and cast it into the morning draft. It caught the air instantly, spinning in an effortless, tight autorotation before settling into the grass below. Testing aerodynamics without a tactical objective proved unexpectedly exhilarating.