Aries

Monday, 3 August 2026

An upright piano waits on the harbor dock for a crane to lift it onto the ferry. Wind has stopped the loading operation, and the wooden shipping case remains open for inspection. Workers worry about moisture while the owner counts every delayed minute as if damage has already occurred.

After securing the covers, the owner sits down and tests one key. The note holds, so he continues into a short piece while the crane waits. Work around him slows without stopping. Travelers along the fence begin listening to something that was never part of the departure schedule.

The wind improves after the piece ends, and the case is closed. The piano will arrive late, but its music crossed the water first. Delay was not entirely empty. It gave the thing being carried one final chance to belong to the place it was leaving instead of remaining only cargo in line.