Hiking

Almost There

I huffed and puffed

up the switchbacks

of the Hope Lake trail

while the woman with me

hiked with ease.

A person passing us said,

“Are we almost there?”

My hiking partner assured her

“You’re almost there.”

After the hiker was gone,

my friend said, “I lied.”

I didn’t have much faith

in her after that

when she said,

“It’s just around the corner.”