Tracking the Shadow

I slipped past the front gate and walked along the quiet sidewalk until the path opened into the community herb garden. Resting on an octagonal brick pedestal was a round brass sundial. I stepped onto the warm brick ledge to get a closer view. Its triangular metal fin rose sharply, casting a crisp, dark shadow toward the Roman numeral two. To see how steadily the sun moved, I set a small, smooth white pebble right at the tip of the shadow line. Resting both hands against the sun-warmed brass plate, I watched with patient anticipation as the dark edge ever so faintly began to leave the stone behind.