Week 11 Story: Tom and Tim's Rock Climbing Adventure

Once there was a man named Tom. He was a professional rock climber. He lived in Colorado so he climbed steep and challenging cliff faces quite often. He also enjoyed travelling to California quite often to climb cliffs and mountains there as well. 

On one of his trips to California, Tom met Tim. Tim was, like him, sponsored by GoPro. They met at a GoPro sponsored event and got to talking. Tim told Tom he was a professional wake boarder, but he was also professionally good at everything. When Tim found out Tom was "only" a rock climber, he wouldn't shut up about how rock climbing isn't even a real sport because you are harnessed in, and that it was so easy even he could do it. He told Tom that wake boarding was a REAL sport because of all the tricks you do and how dangerous it can be. He claimed to have never worn a life jacket even though it puts him at serious risk of drowning if he ever gets a concussion. 

Tom scoffed at Tim's remarks. He knew how ridiculous and BS everything that was coming out of Tim's mouth was. He rolled his eyes at Tim and told him to have fun wake boarding and he will have fun rock climbing. Tim for some reason took great offense to this, and demanded that Tom take him rock climbing with him so he can prove to Tom how manly he is and how he can do everything. 

Tom realized this could end rather badly, but it would also be incredibly satisfying to watch Tim fail, so Tom agreed and set a date. Tom picked a location that was of a medium to hard difficulty. Not TOO terribly difficult, but not someone with literally zero experience would be able to make it to the top of. Tim met him right on time, but when Tom handed him the required safety harness and ropes, Tim refused. He tried to say it would just hold him back to wear safety gear, but Tom made it very clear he would not be climbing without it, so reluctantly he put the harness on. 

Tim and Tom started making their way up the face of the cliff they were climbing, with Tom of course much faster than Tim. Tom was honestly a little impressed that Tim was making it as far as he was, but he knew it was only a matter of time until Tim slipped up. 

Almost right after Tom finished his thought, he heard a shout and a crashing of rocks. Tim had grabbed the wrong hold and had dropped a good 20 feet to the nearest solid ground. Tom was feeling quite smug internally, but climbed down to see if Tim was okay. He quickly realized Tim had landed quite wrong, and most likely had a concussion. Luckily, Tim had been harnessed in so a 60 foot fall had only been 20. Tom sat with Tim for several minutes until he felt good enough to stand, and they slowly made their way back down the cliff. Tom drove Tim to the nearest hospital, and his concerns had been correct. Tim had a pretty severe concussion, but nothing he wouldn't get over after a couple of days of rest. 

Tom kept in touch with Tim for years afterward, and never again did Tim try and go rock climbing with Tom or even say it wasn't even a real sport. 

Tom and Tim by AdventureJay

Author's Note: 

I wrote this story based off the Cherokee story of The Rabbit Goes Duck Hunting. The story was about a rabbit who thought he could do everything an otter could do, including hunting ducks. He did succeed in catching a duck, but when the duck flew up he couldn't hold on any longer and fell into the stump of a tree. I thought the story of two men rock climbing was pretty similar since they both end up falling, but I thought having my story be about two extreme sports pros would be a little cooler than a duck and an otter. I like how the moral is don't try and talk bad about stuff you know nothing about, and that you can't do difficult tasks without any training. Basically don't be a jerk! 

Bibliography: The Rabbit Goes Duck Hunting: Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney link to story