A Measure of Weight

The quiet inside had run its course by midday, so I moved past the front steps and headed down the block to the back ramp of the local post office. A heavy canvas mail sack sat resting against the diamond-plate steel ledge, secured by a solid brass sliding cinch. I scaled the ribbed aluminum tread, planting both boots firmly against the metal slope. Stepping up to the canvas fold, I wedged the silver tip of my right baton beneath the thick woven drawstring and drew it taut until the brass clamp bit firmly into the fabric. The dense canvas creaked under the tension, settling its bulk against the cold steel without budging. The load is locked down.