A Morning Step Down

The dry maple leaf on the granite step crunched under my foot when I stood up. Morning traffic was already clattering down the asphalt, sending mild vibrations through the stone. Looking down from the bottom step, the drop to the sidewalk was just tall enough to risk a hard tumble. Instead of jumping, I dragged the stiff maple leaf over the edge until its thick stem caught in a joint of the curb. Using the leaf's rib as a textured slide, I coasted right down onto the pavement. The city street is officially at ground level now.