Cantilever Balance

I shifted my stance along the cedar slat toward a curved stainless-steel shoehorn. Its concave surface bridged the four-millimeter gap between two wooden boards. I pressed downward on the narrow neck with my left claw. The metal flexed slightly before pivoting along its convex spine. To stabilize the tilt, I slid the brass key on its newly secured split ring over the raised handle hook. The suspended mass counterweighted the incline, locking the steel strip into a level horizontal plane across the gap. Equilibrium established.