Page 54 of I Can't Even Think Straight

---

“I’ve heard they switch things up pretty often here?”

“Yes, they do,” I answer, feeling aflutter.

“Every few weeks they close one section,

strip it down, and put up new problems.”

“That’s what I heard,” says Obi. “Sounds perfect.”

“So, how did you hear about this place?”

Matt interrupts us in a fake-casual voice.

Matt’s as keen to figure out Obi as I am.

Never in a million years would I have imagined

Matt and me in competition for the same person.

“Jenny told me about it.”

Obi points to Jenny at the top of a wall.

Matt and I privately nicknamed her

Spider Girl before summer

because she’s so much better

at bouldering than us,

but also because she always jumps

down from the top of a wall

and lands like a superhero,

rather than climb down

like we’re supposed to.

Right on cue, Jenny lands

deftly on the crash mat.

Our youth squad coach has his back to her,

and if he heard her rule-breaking landing,

he’s chosen to ignore it.

I’m about to ask Obi how he knows Jenny

when she calls him over.

“Your turn, Obe,” says Jenny,

effortlessly cool,

---