A Clean Shot on the Board

The wooden frame of an old tabletop smartball board caught my eye outside a quiet neighborhood candy shop. Inside the slanted timber tray, a single polished steel ball sat idle against the spring plunger. I climbed onto the worn wooden bench, took a grounded stance, and gripped the brass knob with both hands. Pulling the coil back until the tension was firm, I took aim and released. The steel sphere blasted up the outer track, ricocheted sharply through a cluster of brass pins, and dropped cleanly into the center cup with a solid ring. A clean strike rewards patience.