Breaching the Tier

I crossed the bristled welcome mat and aimed directly for the lowest shelf of the slatted wooden shoe rack. An umbrella with a heavy hooked handle lay across the slats, blocking transit along the wood grain. I shifted into upright stance, planted my boots against the pine edge, and took hold of the damp steel shaft. Bracing my frame, I applied steady upward force until the umbrella rolled aside with a hollow clatter, opening a clear passage beneath the hanging coats.