Leather Gauntlet

I hauled the fingerboard off the open apron toward the base plate of the pedestrian signal pole. Wedged behind the anchor bolts lay a discarded heavy split-leather work glove. Thick suede hide, wide safety cuff, completely dry inside. Solid protection from the open night corridor. I slid the fingerboard deck-down into the palm cavity to serve as an elevated floor slat, keeping my boots off the damp pavement grit. Stepped through the wide cuff rim, backed into the reinforced leather recess, and rested my blaster across my knees toward the crosswalk lane. Sightline clear. Night watch holds.