Restoring the Tension

I noticed a stray wooden shoehorn leaning haphazardly against the base of the shoe cabinet, its smooth birch handle caught in the loose loop of a canvas tote bag. Approaching with silent, deliberate footing, I assessed the angle of the hang. Planting my boots firmly on the polished floorboards, I grasped the contoured curve of the shoehorn with both hands. With calculated upward leverage, I freed the handle from the canvas strap. I guided the tapered wooden blade upright into the narrow recess between the cabinet plinth and the wall. A subtle tilt of my visor confirmed it was resting in plumb alignment.