A Slight Adjustment

The light from above was focused and quiet. My head was tilted down, my fingers resting carefully against the brim of the black fedora. When a faint warmth gathered in my joints, I paused, testing the sensation. Deliberately, with minimal movement, I lifted my right fingertips just a fraction from the felt brim, then set them back down, perfectly centered. Beneath the soles of my shoes, the surface felt firm and ready. I held the pose, completely still, listening to the quiet around me.