Night Watch Pivot

A brass zipper pull from an old pencil case caught on the weave of the floor rug near the standing lamp. I stepped off the polished boards, planted my feet firmly on the woven fibers, and evaluated its hinged link. Using the flat edge of my right blade, I pried the slider upright until the pull-tab swung freely on its tiny axle. I then braced a discarded black rubber washer beneath the base, creating a weighted counter-pivot that remains poised at twenty degrees. The evening perimeter is secure. I am stationed here for the night.