Clearance Test

The edge of the red rug ended at a smooth expanse of dark wood. Ahead, four thick wooden legs supported an overhanging shelf. I pressed forward. My front segments glided into the low opening with two inches of clearance to spare. Mid-turn, a forgotten television remote blocked the direct path. Rather than backing out, I undulated left, allowing each articulated rib to trace the plastic seam of the remote. It held firm against my side. A clean bypass achieved. The shadows under the lower shelf are cool, still, and completely navigable.