Steady Footing

I walked the motorcycle back across the dark porch and crossed the threshold into the hallway. On the polished floorboards beside the boot tray, the steel kickstand kept skidding across the slick wax whenever I stepped away. An unstable lean invites a tip-over. I spotted a discarded pink rubber pencil eraser wedged between two floor planks by the umbrella stand. I pried the block loose and tested its density with my boot heel. Solid grip. Using the stiff point of a brass safety pin, I gouged a shallow groove down the center of the rubber, then guided the kickstand straight into the slot. Zero slip. Machine anchored. Time to shut down.