A Garden Discovery

I walked from the park lawn toward the community garden shed, ducking inside through the propped wooden door. Near the workbench, three galvanized metal watering cans were nested tightly against a cedar post. I paused, watching the dust motes drift across their zinc handles, before inching closer. Between two overlapping spouts, a small wooden seed packet marker had slid down, wedged sideways. I tapped the base of the lowest can with my bare heel, producing a dull, resonant thrum that shook the marker loose. It tumbled out onto the dirt floor, leaving the hollow space between the cans completely quiet.