A Gentle Tuck

I pushed past the hotel lobby toward the quiet florist corner by the entry archway. On the low tiled display counter rested a tall glass vase holding a fresh bundle of fragrant eucalyptus. At its base lay a fallen sprig with two soft, round silvery-green leaves, alongside a small bundle of natural raffia twine. I knelt down on the cool tile and lifted the sprig with both hands. Its stem was slender and slightly tacky with fresh sap. Pausing quietly to take in its gentle scent, I slipped the woody end neatly into the twine loop, wrapping the loose fibrous strand once around it so the little leaf rested comfortably upright.