Tread Inspection

I slipped back under the front door sweep and returned inside before the building quieted down. My boots had gathered fine concrete dust from the stairwell ledge. I stepped over the raised plastic rim of the heavy rubber boot tray by the wall to avoid tracking grit across the floorboards. In the corner of the tray lay an old wooden scrubbing brush with stiff nylon bristles. Bracing one hand against the brush's varnished spine, I dragged the grooved sole of my boot firmly across the upright bristles. Two clean passes cleared the packed dust from the tread. Orderly maintenance preserves traction.