A Matter of Tension

The quiet inside felt finished, so I made my way toward the front door to check the perimeter before heading out. Down on the bottom tier of the dark shoe bench, a pair of canvas sneakers lay slightly skewed. A round woven lace had slipped free from its eyelet, curling loosely into the open air. I stepped onto the rubber sole, balancing with a steady center of gravity, and drew my small blade. Using the flat spine of the steel, I looped the cord upward, threading the stiff plastic tip back through the grommet until both ends hung in exact, equal length against the canvas. Order was restored, clearing the threshold for departure.