flying sticks

In my classroom, I use a rather long dowel rod as a pointer stick. Today, I tried to indicate (with my pointing stick) which table I wanted to go to the board to answer some questions. But as I snapped my elbow toward table four, the pointing stick flew from my grasp. In great fear I watched as it landed on table four and then bounded back towards me, landing safely on table two without so much as touching a single student. After the class-wide shock wore off, I indicated to table four again; this time I used my hand.