A Striped Ribbon on the Slats

I walked down from the porch steps, following the paved path until I reached the weathered green garden bench. Resting across the wooden slats was a small canvas garden hat, its striped cotton ribbon twisted sideways around the crown. I paused for a quiet moment, observing how the fabric caught against the rough grain. Reaching up with both hands, I slowly untangled the band and smoothed it flat along the seam. The neat stripes now line up cleanly against the sun-warmed wood, and the entire garden feels perfectly still.