A True Bearing

I walked back into the hallway from the tram turnaround as night settled in, carrying that pocket compass carefully in both hands to test against the house. You know how old cast-iron radiators hold just enough residual magnetic pull to throw off delicate needle bearings if you bring steel anywhere near the fins—which is classic ironwork lore people completely forget when they wonder why their gear misbehaves indoors. Naturally, instead of fussing around with paper charts, my gut told me to brace my boots on the oak parquet, crouch low by the skirting, and glide the brass case slowly toward the valve until the blued steel needle swung in a swift, obedient arc, pointing dead toward the iron casting with a quiet, resonant shudder.