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“See? You’d make a good stern cop. I’d like to see you in a movie where you cry because you’re so distraught over the case you couldn’t solve. You look like you never cry, so a show that watches you break would be pretty compelling, I think.”
Frank said, “I can see it, that would fit him perfectly.”
I asked, “So what auditions have you been on so far?”
“Just a commercial and recently a supporting actor in a sitcom.”
“Bullshit, he’s sending you to the wrong auditions, tell him you want to get on a crime drama.”
Frank laughed. “Okay do me.”
“You’re the buff older brother in a Disney show. The teen is going through some kind of drama and you’re there to teach her to read or something. You look a little like Rob Lowe. I’d want you to play friendly, except... after a few of those roles then we’d get you on a thriller as the murderer. Your fan base would love it.”
Frank said, “Damn, you’re good.”
George said, “Yep, that’s more insight than Ted ever gave me before, thanks.”
“You’re welcome, just tell him what you want, make him help you achieve it.”
* * *
A while later we rested by a rock and Frank and George helped me pull the pack off my back. We shared some food and then geared up and hiked for longer, but the truth was, I could tell I was holding them back and this part of the trail was straight up.
I had sweat rolling down my temples and was too breathless to speak. I stopped, panting, and bent over with my hands on my knees. “You know what?” Pant pant. “Why don’t you go on ahead.” Pant pant. “You don’t have to wait for me. Phew.” I wiped my forearm across my forehead. “I know my pace sucks.”
“Nah,” said Frank, “don’t worry about it.” He and George met each other’s eyes.
Yep, I was right, they thought I was slow.
I pulled my GPS from my pocket. “We’re almost to the hut, right?”
They looked over my shoulder as I pointed at our next stop. “It’s only a few more miles, if you go ahead you can hold a place for me.”
Frank said, “Are you sure?”
“Totally, I have my pace and it’s slow. We all know. It’s cool, you go ahead, save me a spot. I want to sleep under a roof, and not put up my tent. I’ll be right behind you.”
So they left me.
And watching their pace quicken effortlessly, while my trudge stayed the same, realizing how much they had slowed down to accompany me, kinda really freaked me out.
After a few moments, all that was left was the cloud of dust following them, and me, one foot then the other, trying to make the distance.
* * *
This wasn’t supposed to be that hard. It wasn’t a lot of miles. But, man, my body ached. My feet screamed.
In my head I was doing constant math:
I had hiked for days.
I had only been hiking 6-8 miles a day. I was supposed to be doing twenty.
I had food for a set number of days and then I was supposed to resupply, but I would never make it to the next supply town before I ran out.
If I resupplied earlier, I would be carrying more weight.
No way could I carry more weight.
