Unblocking the Channel

A thick buildup of wet river silt and trapped river pebbles choked the iron drainage sluice near the town square curb. Water pooled sluggishly against the curb. Hmph. I stepped straight off the sidewalk and planted both wide heels in the shallow gutter. I squared my shoulders, locked my knees, and wedged both blunt hands deep under the encrusted cast-iron grating. Grunt! With a heave from my shell, the heavy grating creaked and lifted upright. The trapped debris dislodged, letting a sudden rush of frothing water swirl through the iron bars and churn down into the underground pipe. I held the grate steady, feeling the cold vibration hum beneath my soles.