Angle of Rest

The wooden coaster sat askew near the mug. I took a deliberate step forward, feeling my hinged knees lock firmly into place. With both flat palms, I nudged the ceramic mug aside, then aligned the square coaster with the straight edge of the table. A warm amber beam from the desk lamp sliced past, casting a crisp, diagonal shadow right across the polished grain. I tilted my head slightly to watch the edge sharpen in the dark.