Periscope Angle

The wind off the balcony railing had a crisp edge to it, but the view below offered far more intrigue. Resting flat against the metal upright bar was a small rectangular handheld mirror someone had left behind on an outdoor shelf. I gave the plastic casing a deliberate nudge with the heel of my palm, angling the reflective face downward at forty-five degrees over the balcony rim. Through the glass, the bustling street grid snapped into focus—miniature delivery vans gliding across painted asphalt crosswalks, perfectly framed. A little geometric realignment turns any high perch into a private periscope.