“You all right man? Hank asked. “You good?”

“I’m good. Nothing can ruin my shine. Some people need to walk on bare earth to be grounded but I need sheer rock to get lifted, bruh. You know what I mean?” Alan said.

Serene blue crags sheltered by bare maples, Birdsboro Quarry was Alan’s second home. He met Molly here. That thought left Alan exposed. A hollowness seeped into Alan as he reached on his next hold.

“You don’t have to tell me. I know exactly what you’re saying. Just the other night my girl was bringing me down and I had to shut that down quick,” Hank said. “Stay lifted.”

Knowing his clueless client Hank would natter on aimlessly for fifteen minutes gave Alan some much needed breathing room. Alan was far from good. He willed his hands to not shake. Free climbing was his dream, a challenge both mentally and physically. But for the first time he wanted to hide from the boulders.

Alan’s fingers found purchase and he clung tight to this small victory. It would’ve be a perfect day for climbing if somebody hadn’t snitched to Molly. Her anger was in his brain blazing down his nerves. Eleven years and two kids, how could she turn on him over a bit of fun that didn’t mean anything. Molly was his rock. A tumble of loose gritstone startled Alan back to the present.

“I told Jill her online meddlings were—ouch my head!”

“Sure. Now Hank I can feel you getting anxious. Tighten your core and control your breathe. I got you, man. You’re tethered to me for safety. You can do this.”

Alan gave Hank his most reassuring smile. Hank was just god awful. Alan would rather climb with a Steinway strapped to his back than deal with this knob end. With years of experience and training, Alan knew he didn’t just teach climbing. He taught confidence. Today Alan would give confidence he didn’t have to a well-paying moron. After a few deep breaths, his client mirrored his own position.

“See I told you bro. You got this. Always bring your troubles to the mountains. Draw on our lessons from the hangboard, dude,” Alan said.

Alan could tell Hank was eating up this positivity crap up. Hank started blathering on again about his annoying wife again. If Molly would just answer the damn phone Alan knew he could convince her to see sense. They could get a sitter and climb together. Alan knew he could convince her to see they were stronger together, mountain strong. Throwing away their whole life over a few random hookups was just wrong. Willing the world to stop spinning, Alan shut his eyes and listened to his own erratic heart.

“Warning wives about cheaters just feeds into her insecurities. Things weren’t always good between us. She finally agreed to work on us. We are going to start climbing together, Alan,” Hank said. “Isn’t that amazing? You sure you’re okay.”

“Never better. We’re going to have to cut this lesson a little short. I got a family thing,” Alan said,