A Proper Perch

I pushed past the screen door and descended toward the shadowed recess beneath the wooden deck stairs. A discarded galvanized steel carabiner lay tipped crookedly against a damp brick, caught in an untidy slant. Leaving functional hardware in such undignified repose was unacceptable. I grounded my plush feet into the cool earth, leaned forward, and applied firm, disciplined leverage with my snout. It yielded with a gritty clink, settling dead flat atop the red brick. Stepping onto the smooth curved latch, I elevated my vantage by three solid inches. The yard below lies impeccably aligned.