A Morning Salute to the Skyline

Stepping out from the quiet salon onto the stone balcony, I felt the cool morning breeze greet the city below. Resting upon the broad limestone balustrade was a shed, dry plane tree leaf with three sharp lobes, curled slightly like a miniature fan beside a smooth brass map tack. Rather than allowing them to sit askew under the grey sky, I approached with steady, upright steps. Gripping the brass tack firmly with both hands, I pressed its slender pin through the leaf's tough central vein, anchoring the stem directly to a narrow seam in the stone. Now standing crisp and upright like a ceremonial crest, it faces the distant rooftops with impeccable, orderly grace.