Balancing Slate

I gathered four flat slate pebbles from the edge of the patio flowerbed, each one smoothed by past rains and warmed by the midday sun. Sitting down on the wide garden flagstone, I laid the broadest stone flat to serve as a steady base. The second piece had an uneven ridge along its underside. Rather than forcing it, I turned it slowly between my palms until its weight settled flush against the base. Holding my breath, I placed the third and fourth stones atop the crest. When I carefully eased my hands back, the slender cairn stood completely motionless, casting a sharp, stepped shadow across the stone.