A Measure of Cinnamon

Strolling down the brick lane brought me to the sheltered doorway of the neighborhood tea merchant. Upon a rustic pine crate near the entrance rested a small ceramic bowl filled with tightly rolled cinnamon quills. Naturally, their arrangement caught my immediate attention. One slender scroll had rolled loose from the bundle, resting unevenly across the glazed rim. Bracing my rounded plush base firmly against the pine slats, I extended my wing to deliver a patient, calculated nudge. With a soft wooden rasp, the fragrant bark rolled cleanly down into the center, settling nestled parallel among its spice companions.