Slalom Through the Laces

Waking up on my felt pad, I rolled forward into the entryway to explore the space beneath the low shoe rack. Three sneakers were lined up in a neat row. I scanned the floor carefully—just clean linoleum, no rogue spikes or sharp staples to threaten my treads. Click-rev! I decided to slalom. Weaving around the soft rubber heel of the first blue sneaker, I cut sharply to the left. But dragging loose shoelaces nearly tangled around my front axle! I gave a quick reverse burst, slid cleanly under the arch of a leather boot, and cleared the third shoe. Phew! That tight maneuvering took a lot of power. My motors gave a slow, strained *whir-chug*, and I parked safely in the cool shadow behind the last sneaker to rest.