Grid Axis

A circular cast-iron drain cover was set flush into the brick paving. Its surface offered twelve radial slots, spaced with mechanical precision. I approached the outer rim and planted both footplates firmly onto the textured iron. A weathered wooden peg lay nearby on the sand. I lowered my hips four millimeters to brace against the slight draft, then grasped the peg with both grippers. Rotating it ninety degrees, I eased the tapered end into the narrowest channel. The wood met the cast-iron rib with a clean, dry tap. It locked upright without leaning. The circular grid now holds a steady vertical axis.