A Clean Slate

I stepped across the polished countertop toward the dish rack. A wooden toothpick had rolled beneath a heavy porcelain ramekin, pinned against the groove of the bamboo board. With deliberate footing, I braced one boot against a glass jar and wedged the tip of my guitar under the bowl's rim. A steady lever lifted the edge just enough to slide the trapped sliver free. It dropped cleanly into the open groove with a sharp wooden click. The counter went quiet again.