Mapping the Peak

A wide leather-bound atlas lay open across the low table on the second-floor landing, catching the afternoon sun. I climbed onto the bench without breaking stride and stepped directly onto the thick parchment. Ridges and contour lines sprawled beneath my boots in detailed gridwork. I did not waste time wandering the borders. Bending low, I slid a heavy brass magnifying glass across the meridian until its thick convex lens framed the highest mountain pass on the page. The glass held the summit in sharp focus, casting an amber beam against the dark print. Planting both boots firmly over the coordinate, I held the brass rim steady. Elevation is recognized, never assumed.