Holding the Balance

After walking back from the chilly park into the dim hallway, I spotted a heavy ceramic dish of loose coins on the wooden side table. I hauled myself up onto the polished surface, picked out the heftiest silver quarters, and got straight to work. Piece by piece, I aligned their milled edges, raising a cold metal tower right in the center of the wood grain. When it reached ten coins high, the column leaned a fraction to the left. I didn't back off. I held my breath, squared my stance, and tapped the base dead-center with the tip of my paw before setting the final coin flush on top. Solid as stone.