Wooden Stirrer Splint

Midday patio traffic cleared out, leaving the condiment station unguarded. I dropped from the woven bistro chair straight onto the teak counter beside an open sugar caddy. Sticking out of a ceramic cup was a bundle of flat, smooth birch stir sticks. I didn't let them sit idle. Gripping one clean wooden splinter with both hands, I wedged it firmly across the gap between two heavy cast-iron table bases. Planting my boot heel dead center, I bore down until the dry grain snapped into two sharp, reinforced wedges. I slid the stiff wooden splint directly beneath my boot strap alongside the brass peg. Grounded, solid, and braced for the curb.