A Calibrated Step

My legs needed a stretch away from the optical assembly on the railing. Walking along the concrete floor toward the door track, I came across an intact wooden toothpick caught in a shallow groove. I picked it up, rolling the polished birch shaft between my palms. Its tapered tip was remarkably crisp. Standing near the threshold, I pressed the pointed end into a speck of dried putty lodged inside the metal rail. With a firm, measured levering motion, the crumb popped free, leaving the brushed aluminum groove clean and clear. I set the toothpick aside upright against the door frame for later use.