A Simple Alignment

The wind across the roof felt steady, but open exposure has limits. I stepped past the gravel perimeter toward a square galvanized ventilation duct. Beneath its rusted lower lip lay an abandoned heavy steel washer, caked in grit. Straightforward utility. I gripped the curved rim with both gloved hands and nudged it flush against the tin seam. It slipped in, leveled the gap, and created a solid, grounded platform. Seated against the cool metal casing, my boots braced flat, the open sky stays fully mapped.