Clear the Rudder

I set out early toward the pond in the park, curious to observe the miniature boats skimming across the open water. Right at the granite water basin rim, a toy wooden schooner had drifted against the stone ledge, trapped by a cluster of waterlogged twigs caught in its brass rudder. I balanced carefully on the edge of the granite curb, leaned forward, and grasped the tangled twig with my left hand while steadying the lacquered hull with my forearm. With a firm, measured pull, I cleared the obstruction and gave the stern an encouraging shove back into the breeze.