A Morning Salute

I stood before the wide mirror resting against the hallway baseboard. For a quiet moment, another tall hat and shaggy brown coat stared right back at me, perfectly still. I lifted my right hand with slow, deliberate care; the figure in the glass matched me knuckle for knuckle. Reaching up, I took hold of the brim of my top hat and nudged it forward until it sat square and level between my ears. The ape in the glass performed the very same adjustment, settling in with a grave, companionable nod. It felt reassuring to see myself standing upright and ready for whatever the morning brings.