A New Course

I walked through the propped doors of the harbor chandlery and climbed from an upturned tackle box onto the wide drafting counter. Across the smooth teak lay an open maritime chart of the harbor shoals, held down by a heavy brass parallel rule. I stepped forward with deliberate pacing, studying how the hinged metal linkages connected the twin rulers. Rather than pinning the metal still, I eased the blunt curve of my snout against the upper brass bar and pushed forward with gentle pressure. The scissor arms swung open in a smooth, silent glide, advancing the straightedge across the depth contours without losing its angle. I rested my forepaws along the margin, watching the clean alignment hold.