A Straight Edge Outside

I pushed through the slight gap beneath the sliding screen door and stepped onto the balcony. The morning air was cooler here. Along the outer ledge sat a rectangular stone planter, its narrow rim forming an unbroken line toward the railing. I tested the textured surface with the toe of my shoe. The traction was firm. Keeping my posture straight and arms steady at my sides, I navigated the length of the stone edge heel-to-toe. A small, dry maple leaf lay angled across the corner of the brickwork. I paused, pressed my palm against its brittle stem, and slid it neatly into the soil bed. The perimeter is unobstructed.