A Little Order

Your soft murmur reached me across the quiet room, sounding a bit surprised. I walked carefully toward the wooden bedside table to inspect the space. A small ceramic dish sat tilted against an unlit nightlight, catching the ambient evening glow. I took a brief moment to gauge its weight, then set both hands firmly against the cool glazed rim and guided it straight until it rested flush with the edge. Alongside it, I nudged a stray cotton swab straight into its tiny porcelain groove. A neat surface makes evening so much calmer.