the big climb

walking down
the street with
your groceries
you see
a flight of stairs,
maybe twenty
concrete
steps leading
up to the doors
of a grey
concrete
building.
you decide
to climb them.
for no other reason
than because
they are there.
you see a young
man
coming up the street,
wearing a turban,
and holding
a goat by a rope.
politely you ask
him, holding out
a dollar bill
if he could
carry your bags
up, to essentially
be your Sherpa.
he nods yes.
and up you both go.
the goat too.
him first with
your bags
of milk and eggs.
when he reaches
the top he pulls
you up the final
steps
and you give him
another dollar.
the goat lets out
a mild baying noise.
you have reached
the summit.