It was my first time in the Highlands of Scotland and I'd signed up to go on a hike despite my fitness being questionable at best. The guide said it was pretty easy going though so I put on my newly purchased gear and went to join the group. There was about 7 of us, 4 women and 3 guys. The rest of the group all looked like they would be running up the trails just for fun but I was more interested in getting some good pictures from the peak. The guide, Callum, grinned at me when he saw what I was wearing and came over to talk to me.
"I know what you have on is keeping you warm just now but once we get moving you're going to be cooking, laddie," he said to me in his thick Scottish accent.
"I uh, don't do well with the cold," I replied. He just laughed.
"And ye came tae the Highlands? Here, you've got plenty of room in yer pack, I'll help ye. Ye need to be layered that way you can easily add and remove layers when we stop or get going."
"Thanks, I'm used to just throwing my camera in my bag and taking short hikes."
"Don't worry about it, you're no the first to be told you need all this crap."
Callum got my gear down to about half of what I actually needed and put the excess gear in the van we'd driven up in. Another man was dropped off in the parking area and greeted Callum, he was to be our secondary guide.
"So, are we all ready to go?" said the second man. The rest of the group all enthusiastically said yes.
"You takin point, Dave?" said Callum.
"Aye, have a novice do we?" replied the other man.
The group all turned and looked at me.
"He'll be fine but that lot look like they're going to be a bit much for even you," said Callum.
"Nae worries, right, let's go!" said Dave and they set off.
I hated admitting he was right but the others marched ahead and it wasn't long before they were pulling away from me and Callum. He was okay about it and told me to go at my own pace and not to worry about them. We chatted as we walked on a relatively flat section of the trail.
"So, what's your story, Mr. Marcus? I don't usually see tourists up here by themselves. Just curious is all," he said with a smile.
"Promise you won't laugh?" I replied.
"No, but I'll not be cruel about anything," he said, laughing.
"Catfish. That's why I'm here alone."
"What?"
"I came from Nebraska to meet a woman. We'd talked on the phone and exchanged pictures and all that but she lived in a small village and said she could only get dial up so we couldn't do facetime or anything. When I got here, she turned out to be 15 years older than she said she was. The age thing might not have bothered me if she told me but she was a lot different than she made herself out to be and the pictures she sent me were of her married daughter she never even told me about. I spent all this money to get here, I didn't want to just go home," I said.
"Oh that's not something I'll laugh at pal, that's pretty messed up."
"Yea, my friends tried to tell me even the remote places get satellite internet these days but I was just blind I guess."
"You not find any good lookin' American lassies? You're a good-looking young lad."
"I'm terrible with women, I get so shy and can barely hold a conversation."
"You're doing fine holding a conversation with me."
"You're a guy though. I don't know, I just get so nervous."
"Well yer secret's safe with me. Hard enough dating these days when you have women like that to mess with yer heid."
I heard a radio squelch and Callum had me stop as he took it out his pocket.
"This is Callum," he said.
"Callum, it's Helen at base camp two. You have a storm headed your way, Dave said he's almost at the second point so he's going to take them down that way but are you close?" said the woman on the radio.
"No, I'm a wee bit behind him. I think I'm close to Shepherd's peak. My friend here's not a fitness nut like the group Dave took so we've been taking it nice and easy."
"Well I'd suggest picking up the pace. Call me if you need picked up but get to shelter. Helen, out."
"Don't take that personally mah friend, I like a nice relaxing pace and refuse to push anyone. We are going to get shelter though, put your waterproofs on and we'll be heading a different direction," he said to me.
I looked in my bag but to my horror I'd put the waterproofs with the stuff Callum said I'd not need.
"Shit, I left them with my other stuff. I forgot to put them back in," I said.
"Well, not to worry but we'll have to move."
We picked up and started moving at a more serious pace. Callum checked on me every few minutes but I did my best to keep up. When the rain hit, the trail we'd taken became pretty slick and I was having trouble. I asked him for a second to catch my breath.
"I'm so sorry, I know it's pouring but my lungs are on fire," I said to him.
"It's okay, I just want to get us out of this," he replied.