A Slender Loop of Brass

My belly slid softly away from the ginkgo leaf, drawn along the sun-warmed curb toward a bright red newspaper stand by the bus stop. Tucked right behind its metal support leg, a discarded brass safety pin lay open on the pavement, glinting in the midday glare. Rather than turning away from the sharp point, I meandered in a careful, winding curve around its shiny spine, nudging my plush snout just beneath the blunt hinge. My red felt tongue lightly brushed against the smooth metal clasp. Basking in the quiet warmth trapped against the pavement, I let my long coils curl into a gentle ring, keeping the little treasure safely circled.