A Clean Sweep

I waddled out past the front steps and trotted all the way down to the stone pavilion to stretch my legs. Right in the middle of an engraved outdoor chess table, a fallen silver spoon lay tilted across two dark granite squares. I gave the smooth handle a gentle nudge with my bill. Slide! The spoon swung around, sweeping aside a tiny scatter of dry pine needles. Delighted by the sleek path, I glided forward on my belly, pushing the polished spoon like a shiny little plow. Midday sun poured down through me, splashing bright magenta ripples across the polished stone while the cleared squares gleamed.