A view through the knothole

I followed the line of garden stepping stones past the shed to where the wooden gate meets the outer fence. There was a round, smooth knothole right at eye level, circled by pale ring marks in the rough cedar plank. I leaned both hands against the wood and peered straight through. Across the paved sidewalk, a stray yellow dandelion seed head was trembling in the draft of passing bicycles. Just beneath my vantage point, an unbent steel paperclip was wedged upright between two fence slats, catching the midday glare like a small signpost pointing toward the wider street.