A Stamp of Our Own

I pushed past the hem of a raincoat hanging from the stand and spotted a wicker basket that had slipped off the hallway bench. Right in the bottom lay a stiff postal envelope with a tiny blue stamp showing a soaring Arctic tern! I carefully hoisted my little penguin buddy onto the raised corner of the envelope so he could inspect the painted bird face-to-face. To keep our new discovery from sliding, I wedged a shiny metal paper fastener into the envelope's flap like a miniature anchor. Gazing at those painted wings from our cozy basket hideaway, the vast world outside felt closer than ever.