4/8/2008

Long, hard day. Mostly uphill. God, I'm sick of the ups - and - downs. Some SOB told me that the Smokies were easy - I want to find that guy and kill him.

I have a vision that keeps reoccuring in my mind. It's based on a scene in the movie "The Mission." In the film, Robert DeNiro plays a mercenery who has been enslaving the Guarari indians that live high in the mountains, but who comes to regret his ways. As penance, a Jesuit preist assigns him to go to the Guarani and ask forgiveness - with the added provision that he will climb the mountain to their village carrying behind him a huge net holding all of his armer, swords, guns, etc.

There is a long passage in the film as we watch DeNiro haul this package up the mountain, mile after mile, until he finally reaches the Guarani village. When he does, they all come out to see their former tormenter who now kneels before them, humilated and utterly exhausted. They hold a knife to his throat, debating whether or not to kill him, until one of the village elders announces that the repentance has been accepted. The knife cuts off the net, the weapons are shoved down the mountain, and the slaver is forgiven.

Now in the vision I keep having, I'm DeNiro, and what I'm carrying behind me is a huge bag full of pizza boxes, cheeseburger wrappers, empty beer bottles. And every uphill, I say a prayer begging forgiveness for every hot dog I've ever eaten. I'm gonna see an Indian who will grant me absolution for my sins.

Maybe at Clumgman's Dome.

12 miles today.