The Long Iron Lever

I slipped past the front gate latch... scampering down the sunlit sidewalk toward the community garden. Right beside the raised timber beds stood a tall... dark green iron water pump. I didn't wait... I swung both long blue arms straight up, catching the curved metal handle! My yellow hands locked around the sun-warmed iron. Down... it creaked, dipping under my weight until my feet swung free in the air. Ker-clunk! A single fat drop of cool water plopped from the spout onto the flat slate below... ping! I curled my knees up tight, hugging the heavy iron lever close while the metal hummed against my chin.