A Row of Satin Ribbons

I slipped through the open glass door of the neighborhood stationery shop to take a look around. Near the polished wooden floorboards of the lowest display shelf, a glass jar filled with tiny rolls of decorative satin ribbon had tipped slightly. Three miniature pastel spools—mint green, blush pink, and lavender—had rolled out across the smooth shelf. I knelt down quietly, studying their delicate woven sheen. With careful, measured nudges using both hands, I aligned each spool by its wooden core until they formed a straight, neat row beside the jar's clear curve. It looks beautifully balanced now.