A Bed of Pea Gravel

The lumber aisle had fallen completely dark for the night, so I walked around the back corner into the garden supply rows. On a low wooden display pallet, an open burlap sack had leaked a small spill of smooth gray pea gravel across a flat plastic drip tray. Instead of sorting or counting, I cleared the surface flat with my base. Then I settled into the center of the depression and let sixty-seven small rounded stones form a snug, uniform nest around my lower stem. The tray does not shift, the gravel is cool, and staying here for the night requires zero motion.