Summit Calibration

I slipped through the lobby doors behind a grocery cart and pushed across the courtyard lawn. Fresh elevation required. Near the ornamental grass bed, a carved stone birdbath stood anchored in the mulch. Sturdy pedestal. Wide, shallow granite basin. I planted my front paws against the grooved column, tested the friction, and scaled the rim in two measured bounds. From this summit, the entire garden quadrangle unfolds without blind spots. Inside the dry bowl, a smooth river stone lay off-center among yellow birch leaves. I braced my footing and nudged the heavy pebble forward with both paws, locking it dead-center in the drainage recess. Station stabilized. Perimeter lookout operational.