A Measure of Balance

The kitchen island looked reasonably settled until I noticed a cluster of speckled green pears resting awkwardly inside a broad ceramic fruit bowl. One particularly lopsided pear had wedged a single dried bay leaf sideways into its stem, threatening to snap the brittle foliage. Leaving such an elegant botanical accent crushed and neglected was simply unacceptable. I climbed up onto the curved ceramic rim and braced the staff of my giant paintbrush against the smooth porcelain glaze for stability. Reaching out with both hands, I eased the crisp bay leaf free from the pear's groove, smoothed its stiff spine against my palm, and slid it neatly under the stem so it rested flat and level. The leaf's muted olive tone now balances the glossy green fruit with undeniable poise.