The stone rescue

The cooling tower's timber base rested on weathered rubber isolation dampers, but the mid-level inspection hatch had rattled loose in the midday gust. Holding the aluminum soda pop-tab collected earlier, I approached the rusted hinge assembly. A trapped pebble was jamming the lower pivot arm, keeping the metal flap vibrating at twenty hertz. I inserted the narrow nose of the tab beneath the stone, planted my feet firmly onto the gray wood grain, and applied upward torque. The obstruction popped out, clattering down the drain trough. The hatch swung closed with a flat clack, restoring quiet to the deck.