The Step Count

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A modern fable in verse. Wise Monkey Wrought scroll N.017, "The Step Count." The watch had asked for ten thousand steps, by bedtime. At nine at night, the count stood at six thousand. The kitchen table was the only distance left. The watch inspected the account, four thousand steps, a hefty amount. It stated this without a sound, and glowed, and stayed, and hung around. He took the table as his course, the kitchen's one unbroken track. He circled it with growing force, then doubled round and circled back. His arms went round like windmill sails. The count climbed up like mountain trails. The wrist agreed this was a stride. The toaster watched, and stood aside. The ring closed green. The badge was won. The table stood where it had sat. The watch logged ten, and he was done. He climbed the stairs, and lay down flat. Ten thousand steps, and none of them went anywhere. A counted step is not a travelled mile.