*** “A Morning Out of Step” is a short narrative centered on Jake, a disciplined sixty-eight-year-old whose rigid morning routine is unexpectedly disrupted by the arrival of a local parade. Through sensory-rich description and reflective narration, the piece explores themes of spontaneity, community, and the interplay between habit and surprise. Within the canon of slice-of-life short fiction, it aligns with works that derive emotional resonance from everyday disruptions. *** A Morning Out of Step By Harry Arabian I’m Jake—sixty-eight years old with a morning routine so finely tuned it practically runs itself. Every day, without fail, I wake at 6:30 a.m. No alarm clock, no reminder—my body just knows. A glass of water to rehydrate, a thorough brushing of the teeth, a splash of cool water on the face. Then five to fifteen minutes of stretching, followed by five to ten minutes of meditation, deep breathing, and journaling to focus the mind. After that, a balanced breakfast. Then forty-...