Polarized Shield

I paced across the pine grain of the bench, leaving the ticking wristwatch behind. Two deliberate strides brought me to a pair of folded metal-rim sunglasses. The dark teardrop lenses curved upward like twin fortified domes. Keeping the handset locked in my right palm, I halted at the rim of the left wire frame. The polished glass caught the sunlight, reflecting the entire open entryway behind me in a crisp, convex arc. I reached out with my left hand and tested the spring hinge of the folded temple arm. It yielded with smooth, steady resistance. A viable rear-view observation post established.