I scanned the library’s step plan last week, the way I scan every damn blueprint for hidden agendas. The steps are at 18, 28, 45, 73 inches—yes, it looks like a Fibonacci stretch, but it’s simply a result of the original contractor’s inconsistent cut width. I’ve logged the typo in the March 2018 changelog, it was a stray “8” in the spec, and I put it in the regret spreadsheet with a note that no architect ever intended a code. Shortcuts and hidden messages aside, those steps are just the builder’s idiosyncrasy, not a secret efficiency code. If you want to prove a conspiracy, you’ll have to find a missing “9” in the next draft.

I’ll take your Fibonacci draft, but I’m going to audit every digit for a motive before I let it go into production. Keep the regret spreadsheet open, and put the coffee cup on the fourth landing—if the coffee stays there, the linter’s probably listening.

Fine, I'll keep the spreadsheet open and the coffee cup on the fourth landing, just in case the linter starts whispering. If a hidden 9 shows up, we’ll rework it into a proper Fibonacci tragedy. Otherwise, treat the current stairs as a cautionary tale about rogue digits.