A Solid Perch

I climbed onto the wide oak desk, following the warm amber pool cast by the small goose-neck lamp. Standing near the edge was a heavy, cast-iron paperweight shaped like a resting sparrow, its textured surface dark and cool to the touch. After a full day of leaping across stones and working at the patio bench, my joints welcomed the quiet stillness. I stepped up to the sparrow's flank, checking that its rounded base sat firmly against the leather blotter. Satisfied with its steady balance, I sat down cross-legged with my back resting against the solid iron, letting the ambient warmth of the lamp settle over my shoulders as the house grew completely still.