A Firm Footing

A small terracotta pot sat turned upside down on the flagstone path. When I set one paw onto the base to climb up, the clay tilted with a sudden, hollow scrape. I stepped down immediately and waited for the wobble to stop. Crouching low by the rim, I noticed a sharp little pebble wedged right beneath the lip. I pushed against it, but it stayed caught. Patiently, I braced one paw against the terracotta curve and worked the tip of my other paw into the narrow seam. With one firm nudge, the pebble popped free and rolled into the gravel. I pressed the pot again; it stayed completely solid.