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She cocked her head tae the side. “Whose life is it?”
“M’father’s. He left Scotland for fairer lands, met a woman named May, and settled down and bought a pub and a motel in a shite town on the edge of a trail. Meanwhile his two sons, and his daughter, livin’ with his former wife, figured out how tae survive in a shite town in Scotland — a place that had plenty of pubs and motels, mind ye, and many of them for sale. The old man could hae lived his dream anywhere, but had tae do it here. Now he’s gone, cancer.”
“I’m really truly sorry, Liam, when did he pass?”
“It has been about two months, long enough for all of this tae get verra tiresome.”
She gave me a sad smile. “I am glad my drama has helped you, or at least given you something to do. So now you own a pub and a motel?”
I nodded. “Aye, in a shite town in the U S of A. I get tae meet interestin’ people as they head out on the long hikes of their dreams.”
She asked, “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Nae, I am enjoyin’ the distraction.”
“Okay, good, happy to be that for you.” She brushed off her hands and put them on her hips. “I think it’s basically packed.” She smiled widely. “Looks like I’m ready to hike.”
“How long will ye be?”
“Our plan was almost a month. We have a rental car waiting for us at North Pointe. So yeah... I just have to get there. Then I’ll drive back here and fly out at the end of the month.”
“Sounds like ye hae it all planned, how many kilometers a day?”
“I have no idea, but in miles, I hope, twenty a day.” She continued to smile.
“Do ye want tae try on the pack, Woodshee?” It looked tae be three-quarters her size.
She looked down at it. “No, I’ll wait until tomorrow. I don’t want to wear myself out too early.”
“Sometimes people I meet hae been in trainin’ for the hike, wearin’ weights in their packs tae see how far they can go.”
“Yeah, we meant to, but work got crazy, and... apparently my husband was fucking one of my clients so he was busy and...” She sighed again.
I watched her long, then said, “I ken it’s nae m’business, but, Woodshee, ye canna go. Ye daena hae tae hike tae prove anythin’ tae anybody. Yer husband broke yer heart, ye could take a week tae sit in a cabin and drink down at the pub and feel sorry for yerself. Ye could even go back tae LA and tell them ye went on the walk and...” I shrugged. “Nae one would ken.”
“I would know. You know what he said to me? He told me I wouldn’t be able to do it without him.”
“I think he’s established that he’s a total bawbag and he inna tae be listened tae anymore.”
“Yeah, but this is important, Liam. My whole life just blew apart, and this seems like what I need to do. I packed it all up, put it in a bag, now I’m going to schlep it up a trail. I’ve been talking about doing it for years and now I’ve been planning it for months.”
“Sometimes plans are meant tae change.”
“Not this one — you just met me, are you telling me not to live my dreams?”
“I think we are friends. A friend should tell ye if yer pack is goin’ tae be too heavy. If ye are goin’ tae kill yerself tryin’ tae get back at yer husband, who inna worth yer spite. Or if yer decision sounds shite.”
“You think we’re friends? And my plan sounds shite?”
“Aye, we shared pizza and beer, we’re friends.”
“In twenty-five days when I’m back, you’ll see.”
“Och, twenty-five days?”
“How long do you think I will go?”
“I give ye two days, tops.”
