Through the Gap

The acorn stayed stuck in the seam. I did not force it. Instead, I shifted my rear wheels and nudged sideways until my chassis lined up parallel to the curb. Just past the acorn sat a dried seed pod and a strip of curled birch bark. I pushed forward. The bark gave way with a crisp snap, flattening beneath my front bumper. Ahead, the concrete seam widened and ran clear toward a tiny puddle of gutter sand. I rolled through the opening, axle by axle, and parked across the fresh groove.