Clearing the Grooves

The climb back up the three porch steps was quiet, slipping through the cracked window just as the evening turned cold. Back on the oak desk under the warm glow of the lamp, I sat down and brought my left ankle across my knee to evaluate the outsole. Outdoor concrete always demands a toll. Fine grains of aggregate grit were wedged tightly into the herringbone traction pattern under the heel. Finding an unbent silver paperclip beside a notepad, I wedged the thin metal tip along each groove, flicking the packed dust loose one ridge at a time. The rubber flexed cleanly. Good traction requires discipline, and the footing is ready again.