A Fine Sheet

The quiet morning parlor had that expectant hush before a performance begins. Gliding past the turntable console, I stepped onto the plush needlepoint cushion of the upright piano bench. An antique sheet of thick parchment score had slipped half-off the polished wood, dangling dangerously close to the floorboards. Beside it lay a heavy glass paperweight filled with floating gold leaf flecks. With unhurried poise, I leaned my weight against the glass orb, rolling it with deliberate, measured pressure until it rested squarely across the score's curling margin. Pinned beneath the cool glass, the printed staves lay perfectly flat, catching the soft morning daylight.