Nightfall at the Pavilion Citadel

Evening caught up with me at the edge of the park plaza, where a huge open-air pavilion rose like an ancient stone redoubt. After days on the march, my plastic joints were crying out for a secure fortified camp! Right in the sheltered notch where a red brick pillar met the stone floor, I spotted a pristine folded cardboard coaster abandoned by a picnic table. I braced my combat boots against the mortar, hauled the thick card upright, and angled it across the brick corner to build a solid lean-to shelter. Wedging a smooth gray pebble against the bottom edge kept the barrier firmly locked against the night breeze. Bivouac established!