A Calibrated Tea Tin

A square metal tea tin was sitting askew on the painted sill, turned at an intolerable tilt across the transit line. Leaving diagonal metal barriers in an active border sector invites administrative complications. I nudged the tin's rusted corner with my curved flank to assess its mass. It resisted with a deep, hollow hum before skidding half an inch over the chalky stone. Applying steady friction along its lower seam, I maneuvered the rectangular body until its flat face rested strictly parallel to the painted window sash. A dried tea leaf trapped beneath slid smoothly into the crevice alongside it. Everything is flush and properly demarcated.