A Weighted Move

I walked from the bakery bench across the grass toward the wooden park pavilion. On top of a concrete chess table, an abandoned game sat half-finished. A carved wooden knight had tilted onto its side against a black square. I climbed onto the edge of the tabletop and stepped deliberately across the painted grid, steadying my footing. Kneeling on one knee, I gripped the curved neck of the wooden horse with both hands. It was surprisingly dense, lined with soft green felt underneath. Shifting my weight backward, I levered the piece upright until the weighted base settled down with a solid, satisfying thud.