Up To The Challenge

This is totally a guy thing. A friend and myself were discussing the phenomena that overcomes a guy when he sees something as a personal challenge. Nobody has dared you, except the challenge itself. Not only do you need to prove it to yourself, but you want to have bragging rights to the whole world! He was recently in South Dakota, and while staying at a hotel/motel he saw a huge flight of steps across the street, behind a fire station. First he was curious, then it overcame him. Can I run up this huge flight of steps? In my youth, it would have been no problem. I'm still in decent shape. People don't necessarily vomit when they see me with my shirt off, I can do this! Let the games begin! Off he went, up the mountainside one step at a time. A third of the way through, he realized this was no walk in the park. Three quarters of the way through, and he was not only wondering if he was going to make it, but wondering if he would live to tell about it. Happy ending - he made it! It took several minutes of panting and excruciating rib pain at the top before the decent. Mark that one off in "the list of things to do before I die". For the next several days, his muscles in his legs were extremely sore from stupidly undertaking such a daunting task. When asked if he would do it again, the answer was a resounding "NO", until some other obstacle stands in the way of him and, well,... nothing. That's pretty much the ways guys think, or rather, don't think, just react. I was once asked if I would eat a stick of butter, not dared, just asked mind you. So after some negotiating of money, I knew I could do it. The butter went in, my cholesterol went up, and the butter some how found its way down. Was it worth $5? You bet! Would I do it again? Hell no! But, it's now on my "been there, done that" list. Now that I'm older, and much wiser, I hesitate first, before venturing into something completely idiotic:)