Sorting the Findings

I moved across the coffee table toward the lower shelf of the wooden bookcase to organize what came back with me from the streets. On the wide timber plank, I laid out my folded transit receipt card, a short length of yellow wire, and the smooth grey pebble. Beside an upright stack of paperback novels, I discovered an empty metal mint tin propped slightly open. Using both hands, I cleaned out a stray pinch of lint from inside the lid and lined up each item in a separate metal groove. Clicking the latch closed kept everything secure in one compact case.