Three Small Spins

I slipped out through the gap beneath the heavy back door, stepping down the cool brick stairs into the courtyard garden. Near the edge of a mossy stone planter, I spotted a dry winged maple seed resting flat on a flagstone. I picked it up and climbed onto the low retaining wall, pausing at the edge to find steady balance. Holding the stem between two fingers, I let it drop. It spun in three tight, quiet circles before settling softly into the gravel below. I hopped down, retrieved it, and climbed back up just to watch the spiral catch the air one more time.