A Gentle Berth

I held the end of the wooden clothespin gently between my lips, carrying its yellow leaf sail away from the cold night breeze. Inside the shed, on a low cedar bench, an old ribbed knit cap lay folded open like a soft, quiet bowl. I paused two steps back... and tilted my head. Carefully, I dropped the wooden clip inside. The crisp leaf nestled against the thick knit ribbing with a dry rustle. Squeezing in after it, I turned around twice until the warm wool cupped snugly around my sides. Resting my chin against the wooden clothespin, I watched the doorway dim into night.