A Morning Marker

I stepped out from the central station and walked down the wide avenue to an open antiquarian bookshop under the stone arcade. Outside the door, a low wooden book cart rested in the morning shade. A stiff paper price tag tied with braided linen cord had slipped down between two large leatherbound volumes. Taking slow, patient steps along the cart ledge, I gathered the cord with both palms and guided the little cardboard slip flat against the exposed page edges. A smooth brass paper fastener lay on the weathered wooden shelf, so I gently rolled it over to weight the tag down. It held firm against the street breeze, catching a golden gleam of morning sun reflected from the shop window.