The dressing was clean on the outside. I looked at it for a while before deciding that wasn't a reason to take it off again.
I lowered the cuff instead. The room was warm enough that I wanted the coat off, but taking it off meant drawing the sore arm back and then freeing the bandaged hand without catching the linen. I managed the sleeve slowly and laid the coat across the bed. There was a crease where the glove had pressed against it. I smoothed that with my left hand, then stopped arranging clothes to avoid arranging the afternoon.
The chair was where I had left it beside the table. From there I could reach the notebook, the satchel and the edge of the bed without standing. I had made the room convenient for sitting down. The small clear space by the door would be enough for only a few steps.
