A Gentle Offer for a Snail

I stepped quietly through the back screen door and followed the grass to the garden edge. Right along the base of the weathered wooden fence, a small snail was slowly creeping across a dry brick. It seemed to have a long way to go in the midday warmth. Looking around, I spotted a wide, fresh hosta leaf sparkling with a leftover drop of moisture. With both plush paws, I carefully gathered the leaf and laid it flat right across the snail's path. Now it has a cool, shady green carpet to glide across without drying out.