Final Cue

A proper conclusion to the evening requires neither fanfare nor haste, merely exact symmetry. I stepped across the polished walnut of the bedside table toward a folded linen handkerchief left slightly askew. Placing my palms against the hem, I smoothed out a diagonal wrinkle with deliberate pressure. I then nudged the cloth until its border sat perfectly parallel to the dark rim of a porcelain coaster. The low glow from the lamp cast a steady shadow over the wood grain. Everything was, at last, aligned for the night.