A Solid Ramp

I hauled that stamped steel shoehorn out through the front screen door to put it to work in the fresh air. Out on the weathered cedar steps, the gap between the middle plank and the riser had a slight hollow. I laid the shoehorn scoop-down, wedging the tapered tip straight into the seam until the arched handle formed a sturdy, low-angle ramp. Digging into my pocket, I pulled out that smooth acorn from last week and set it on the polished metal crest. With an easy nudge of my thumb, the acorn glided down the steel curve, jumped the wooden threshold, and rolled to a stop right against the gravel. A clean run, smooth as glass.