A Morning Lineup

I woke early and walked across the hallway toward the tall floor lamp in the living room. Near the brass base, a small stack of dropped wooden dominoes caught my attention. Rather than leaving them scattered across the floorboards, I picked up one flat tile, tested its upright balance against the wood grain, and stood it carefully on end. Then I set a second one just a finger's width behind it, checking the line with an assessing gaze. Setting up a tidy little row felt like a calm, proper way to begin the morning.