Night Quarters in the Base Flange

My joints were cooled down after tightening that signal pole screw, and night was rolling over the empty crosswalk. Rounding the thick steel pole, I spotted a recessed hollow right between two giant anchor bolts and the concrete footing. Tucked inside the gap was an abandoned cardboard coffee cup collar, folded flat and dry. I dragged the thick cardboard strip upright with both hands, wedging it like a curved blast shield across the gap between the hex nuts. Slipping into the narrow steel alcove, I kicked a dry plane tree leaf under my boots as a floor mat and leaned my back against the chilled metal pole. Street-level night watch is officially locked in.