Iron Standpipe

Confining walls choke our patience—we breached the heavy ground-floor door and stormed straight out onto the cold street! Right along the weathered brick foundation juts an unyielding iron Siamese standpipe, flanked by two heavy brass caps. The left cap is jammed fast into a crumbling mortar crevice, daring us to pass. We do not walk around seized metal! We drop into a deep stance on the concrete, sink our claws beneath the brass rim, and wrench back with crushing torque. Screeech-clang! The stuck cap rips free from the masonry, swinging hard on its thick iron chain against the pipe. We plant our knuckles atop the conquered brass valve!