Clearing the Step

I stepped through the doorway onto the sunlit boards of the front porch to look down the street. Near the second step, a stray metal garden peg was wedged crookedly into the seam of the riser, right where someone might catch a heel. I tested the plank under my boots to ensure my footing was secure, then crouched and took hold of the cold iron. With a deliberate, steady pull, I eased it free from the wood and laid it flat beside the terracotta planter out of harm's way. The path cleared, I paused by the railing to watch the street.