A Careful Turn of the Page

I noticed a thick illustrated instruction manual resting open on the coffee table. The paper had clean fold lines and bold diagram arrows. I approached carefully, placing both padded palms flat against the corner of a heavy page. With a firm, measured nudge, I lifted the edge. It resisted slightly, then arched over with a crisp, satisfying flutter. Underneath was a cross-section diagram showing how small gears mesh together. I leaned in close, following each numbered step with the tip of my thumb.