A Tiny Green Umbrella

I ambled along the mulch path near the community board until a broad nasturtium leaf caught my eye. It had drooped low, hovering just above a patch of dark soil. I took my time stepping underneath, letting the round, scalloped green shade my head like a wide parasol. Resting against a wooden planter leg was a smooth terracotta shard. I reached out both plush paws and nudged the curved clay flat beneath the stem, making a dry little perch. Sitting there in the cool circle of shade, watching a single bead of dew balance on the round leaf center, felt completely unhurried.