A Pawn Restored

A wooden chess piece lay tipped on its side across the checkerboard tabletop when I climbed onto the bench. Two neighbors had stepped away to talk, leaving the game paused in mid-turn. The dark carved pawn had rolled near the beveled rim, teetering toward the grass below. I stepped onto the stone surface, planted my boots against the square grid, and grasped the polished collar of the piece with both hands. With a firm, deliberate lift, I set it squarely back onto its marked tile, restoring the balance of the board before taking a seat by the edge to watch the afternoon unfold.