Sugar Loaf Mountain

 Sugar Loaf Mountain 588

'Why in God's name are we spending the last day of our holiday up this fricking mountain when we could be on the beach,' said Paul.

'Please be patient,' said Adam, ' you will thank me for this experience.' and he also thought you will thank God too.

'Are we there yet? ' asked Paul in a half mocking and half joking tone adding, ' I wish I'd worn trousers. I fricking freezing in these shorts.'

'Stop using that word. You know I don't like it. You might as well swear. Everybody knows what you mean'.

Adam put his arm around Paul's shoulder and leaned in and planted a kiss on his neck.

Paul moved Adam's arm away. He walked to the railing of the cable car and leaned over to look at the view of Rio below. He was puzzled. It had been such a wonderful holiday and now Adam seemed to be determined to prove something but about what? He didn't know.

'What's wrong now. I thought you liked me showing affection in public? You know being gay is not illegal here.'

'What has that to do with this Mountain?'

'Nothing really. I thought you would like to take some photos from the top. It really is amazing. There is also a restaurant where we can have lunch and there is a gift shop. We haven't bought any presents to take home and we are leaving tomorrow.'

The couple didn't speak again as the cable car rose higher and higher. Paul had his camera on a strap around his neck. He lifted it and focused on the extraordinary views below.  Adam was pleased to hear the click, click, click as Paul snapped away.

AS the car almost reached the summit a mist shrouded the view. It grew quite cold.

Paul turned away from the rail, saying, 'So that's it then. The end of a fantastic holiday.'

'I am so sorry. I really thought that you would be impressed. I am disappointed as well you know. There is something quite special that we can see, well usually. When we reach the top.'

Adam never did explain to Paul that 'the something special was the almost 100 feet tall statue called Christ the Redeemer.' In a way he thought that it was probably a good thing that the statue was shrouded in this mist.

Adam was a Christian and Paul was an atheist who thought that the bible condemned homosexuality.  Adam's confused ideas had lead him to think that seeing this amazing statue might have an effect on Paul. 

Now he wondered whether the invisible statue was a message not for Paul but from God  to him. 

It would be a long time before Adam untangled his confused thoughts and feelings. The cable car reached its destination.

'Come on. It is the last day and I am freezing and starving. Lets get a hot drink and something to eat. I still love you even though this isn't the beach,.' said Paul.

They walked hand in hand into the restaurant.

An hour later they walked out of the restaurant into blazing sun. 

 Adam looked across the valley to the incredible statue of  Christ the Redeemer and said to himself, 'Thank you God.'

Paul looked over the rail and saw the beach. He said to Adam, ' There is still time to go to the beach. It will be fantastic to sit drinking cocktails while watching the sun go down.'

Opposites attract ain't that the truth.