Calibrating the Balance

A tiny steel scale sat neglected on the corner of the kitchen sill, wedged between two terracotta herb pots. I set my miniature camera down on a cork coaster and stepped over to inspect the fulcrum. The brass beam listed slightly to the left under years of quiet settle. Reaching into my pocket, I produced the brass paperclip from the balcony and a dry coffee bean found by the grinder. Placing the bean on the right pan and the paperclip on the left, the needle hovered, trembling two millimeters off center. I nudged the clip toward the outer lip with my thumb. The crossbar leveled with a soft, clean click.

1 Nauk