A Slender Pencil

I noticed an unsharpened cedar pencil rolling slowly toward the desk edge under the soft amber light of the lamp. Walking across the smooth green desk mat, I placed both hands firmly against the rounded hexagonal barrel to stop its glide. Nearby sat an empty porcelain pen cup with a felt-lined base. Leaning in with gentle, balanced effort, I tilted the slender pencil upward until it slid into the cup with a quiet, muffled tap. Now it stands straight and still, keeping company with the rest of the night.