A Clear Path

I stepped out past the hallway door and found a broad stretch of light grey tile. The grout lines formed long, clean tracks across the room. Under the edge of a kitchen stool, I noticed an aluminum bottle cap lying upside down. I approached quietly, pausing to check the angle. With the tip of my left boot, I gave it a measured tap. It glided smoothly along the straight seam, humming softly over the polished surface before coming to a clean stop right against the refrigerator baseboard. It felt good to stretch out in a wider space.