Carrying The Weight

Andy was hanging on waiting for Lex to catch up. Lex was only slower because she was carrying the bulk of their loot.

"C'mon, Lex! I'm not gonna hang around here all day." Andy said.

"Ha! You know I could out-climb you any day. You could carry some of this thought, ya know?"

"Hey, I'm carrying stuff."

He reached out to Lex and gave her a boost. They both reached the top and looked around.

"Great view, huh?" Andy asked.

"Pretty, but we have things to do."

Lex started looking for food. They were told there could be some at the top, but that didn't appear to be the case.

"Andy, I don't think there is anything up here."

"I'm not sure why there would be. I thought it was pointless."

"Should we head back down?"

Andy looked over the edges and tried to see in the distance.

"Maybe we have another option." Andy said.

Lex looked at where he was looking.

"Oh, yeah, I get it." Lex said.

The two started their descent along the East side of the post. Andy went first. He scurried down until he got to the wire. He could see it leading to another post. Lex met him on the wire.

"Okay, the good thing is there are about five other posts that connect. Maybe one of them will have something useful." Andy said.

He started to carefully traverse the top of the wire. Lex followed still carrying the heavier supply.

"Do you think you might one day carry more than me?" Lex asked. She had always joked to him about his laziness.

"But, you do such a good job of it, Lex. I wouldn't want to deprive you of showing off your incredible strength." Andy responded.

Lex laughed as she really didn't mind. She felt safer carrying it than risk giving it to Andy. He was a good climber, but terribly bad at holding on to stuff. If it dropped, it would be a whole day's work they would have to make up for. As they continued, Lex thought about the time they were trying to carry part of a Ritz cracker. Lex had one side and Andy had the other. They were carefully trying to carry it over a muddy area each balanced on tall blades of grass. Andy let the cracker slip, and it ended up in the mud. Lex laughed because before Andy started helping she was carrying it by herself.

The thought of it made her chuckle. Andy heard the chuckle.

"You're thinking about that time you let the cracker fall in the mud again, aren't you?" Andy said.

"Haha. I would have probably gotten that over just fine if someone hadn't decided I needed help."

"You have to admit, we make a great team."

"Yes, without you on my team, there would be so many that would be jealous of my amazing productivity. Thanks, And." Lex said.

Andy stopped in the middle of the wire bridge.

"Lex, I know we laugh and joke about it, but do you really think I'm lazy?" Andy said. He seemed a bit sad.

"Oh, Andy, I'm sorry. I was just joking. I didn't think you'd take that seriously."

"No, I know you were joking. But, we joke about it a lot. I just don't want you to think I'm not helping."

"Andy, we all have our gifts. I'm strong and carry the load. You make the adventure interesting. Right now we are in the middle of a barbed-wire bridge. If it were me, I would have just gone down the post."

Andy looked around.

"Yeah, but is that a good thing that we are in the middle of a barbed-wire bridge?"

Lex looked around.

"I don't know, Andy. We won't know that until we get where we are going. I know that as long as you are with me, the journey to get there will keep me laughing."

Andy smiled. Lex smiled back. Then she took something heavy off her back and handed it to him.

"Now, since you're not making me laugh right now...you can carry something."

Andy took it and they both laughed as they moved forward—together.

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