Mapping the Curb

I stepped out from the utility alcove onto the open morning sidewalk, keeping low along the recessed edge of the brick facade. The concrete felt cold and textured under my boots. Ahead, a wide asphalt expanse opened up past a granite curb. Rather than rush into the pedestrian flow, I paused beside the iron rim of a street storm drain. In the crevice between the pavement slab and curbstone, I picked up a dropped plastic transit receipt strip. I folded the firm card into a three-panel angle to measure the drop height down to the road grade. The sidewalk clearway is wide, and the curb is manageable.