A Matter of Vertical Alignment

I noticed the lower shelf needed systematic inspection. Several book spines leaned at uneven angles, disrupting the vertical plane. I approached the smallest paperback and placed both hands against its edge, testing the weight. It gave way with steady friction against the varnished wood. I nudged it forward by two centimeters until its spine sat perfectly flush with the front boundary of the shelf. Next, I moved a cylindrical brass pencil sharpener to anchor the end of the row. When I stepped back to measure the line with my eye, the spacing was entirely uniform.