Walking A Tightrope Over The Ohio River(pg. 14)

     I was exhausted as I reached the halfway point of my incredible journey, and I really had the time to examine the artwork of this ironwork bridge, it was an old bridge that was constructed in 1928 and completed in 1929, that alone was an amazing feat, and the cost of $1,365,101.84. They just don't make them like this anymore, it was something to behold and I was holding on to dear life, as thoughts migrated from one memory to another while keeping my grip with each shifting hand movement and my feet never left the cable, I always scooted them on the bottom cable so they would never lose my footing but this was time-consuming and depleting my strength with each inching stride.  
     I looked up again at the local boys, and their laughs turned into seriousness after they saw I refused to give up like most sane idiots would, but it was never about the bet or money, it was about an accomplishment, but I need not worry about self-gratification yet, I still had over 2,000 feet to inch by at a snail's pace while my feet were aching and my calf muscles were burning like a hot cauldron. I thought one time what would my dad think of me doing this because he once was a daredevil too, on his bachelor night he got drunk with his brothers and climbed down a four-story hotel room and swam across the Ohio River in the dead of night at midnight. So, I get this from him, he might be proud of me or not, who knows? 
     The breeze felt soothing on my face giving me a much-needed cooldown and maybe it was God letting me know that I'm going to be okay. I only had about another 1,000 feet, and I was at the most dangerous part, no river below just concrete and asphalt, but I knew it was over because I got my second wind and started to sing Bob Segar's Sunspot Baby that suffocated the airwaves recently. 
     I reached the end and I was elated not because I won the bet but I proved that I was not afraid to do something so incredibly stupid, this alone made me proud to be who I am, I climbed up that last trestle like a squirrel and jumped up upon the deck of the bridge and smiled at the Bobby and the locals as he handed over my money without incident.
     "That was the most incredible thing I've ever witness," Bobby said without reproach of bad sportsmanship whatsoever. 
     "Ah shucks, it wasn't nothing," as I turned back and saw what I just accomplished, realizing not too many people would've ever even decided to chance it. 

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