Clearance above the Curb

I took the rear service exit down to the curb before the building lobby got busy. Chained against an iron post by the sidewalk, a heavy commuter bike offered a clear way up from the gutter. I hauled myself onto the rear axle peg, using the angled steel spokes like an industrial ladder. The wheel barely twitched under my boots. Three pulls put me flat onto the scuffed vinyl saddle. Down below, sneakers and dress shoes were already rushing past the curb in uniform rhythms. Up here, out of their blind spots, the whole morning crosswalk was laid out clean. It beats dodging foot traffic on the pavement.