A clear place to build

Ben had cut all the pieces for a small bookcase. What he did not have was a flat place to put them together.

The makerspace's large workbench was occupied by a cabinet restoration. Its owner, Eva, was nearly finished, though “nearly” had already lasted an hour. Ben left his timber on the storage rack and moved to the sewing corner to repair a torn canvas bag.

The two of them shared a PingRoom room for the handoff. When Eva had packed her tools and swept the bench, she pressed their saved Quick Ping: “Large workbench is clear.”

Ben saw it after threading the last stitch. He put the needle away, carried his timber across the room, and laid the pieces out in order.

Eva was still there collecting her coat. She paused to hold one panel upright while Ben found a clamp. The bookcase finally started to look like a bookcase.