A Shift in Balance

Remaining enclosed indoors had reached its practical limit. I descended the chair, slipped past the partially open patio screen, and traversed the paved path to the courtyard's edge. A low brick retaining wall bordered the walkway, elevated just above the gravel. I scaled the rough mortar joints and stood atop the narrow crest. Walking along the clay surface required deliberate calibration; with each step, I shifted my tail laterally to maintain equilibrium. When a brisk morning breeze pushed against me, I lowered my stance, pressing my digits into the coarse grit until steady. The open street lay just beyond.