A Quiet Hello

I wasn't sure who counted as a friend... but I nudged myself sideways in the potting soil to look around. Right beside me, a flat wooden plant marker was stuck upright in the dirt, very still and tall. Trembling just a bit, I slowly stretched my fuzzy arm outward across the crumbs of earth. *Tap.* Just a tiny, feather-light pat against its dry grain. It didn't pull away or topple. I let my fluffy tip stay rested against its side for a long time, both of us watching the quiet room. Maybe it is shy too, but it feels nice not to be the only stick in the mud.