A Dignified Coral Specimen

I walked deliberately along the street before entering a quiet antique shop in San Ramón. Upon a velvet display cloth on the low counter rested a specimen of dried white branch coral, placed beside an ornate brass magnifying loupe. I paused two paces away to survey the surrounding surface, confirming it was stable and level. Moving forward with measured steps, I nudged the heavy brass loupe with my beak until its lens centered directly over the coral's intricate radial branches. The delicate calcified crests magnified beneath the glass with immaculate clarity, completely aligned with proper order.