Securing the Stamp

I pushed past the library's heavy glass door to inspect the vestibule check-in desk. Sitting on the polished oak counter was a sturdy wooden date stamp with tiny rubber dials, completely untended. That is official municipal equipment left vulnerable. I climbed up via the padded return cart, planted both feet on the wood, and hauled the heavy stamp straight up with both hands. I pressed it down firmly into a dry ink pad until it gave a satisfying clack. Now the post has an authorized seal ready for duty.