I guess you can only watch people willfully underestimate you for so long.
Finally, I shouted, loud enough to halt all conversation, “How many pull-ups do you think I can do?”
They all turned to stare at me.
“Three,” Tiny guessed, after a minute.
“Two,” Captain Murphy said.
“Women can’t do pull-ups,” Case announced, like I’d tried to pull a fast one.
“Fifty bucks,” I said then, “says I can do at least seven.”
Wallets started hitting the table.
I should note: The only one who didn’t bet against me was the rookie.
They walked me out back to “the course,” which turned out to be a military-sized obstacle course, complete with poles, hurdles, monkey bars, ropes, and a ten-foot climbing wall.
We stopped under a pull-up bar, and the guys gathered around.
Here’s a problem I didn’t anticipate: This pull-up bar was high. Built for six-foot guys. Standing under it at five foot five, it was pretty clear that I couldn’t reach.
As I waited for the snickers and offers to spot me to die down, I felt a creeping sensation that this idea was going to backfire. Had I just invited them all out there to watch me jump like a munchkin for a bar I’d never catch? Had I just gotten everyone’s attention only to humiliate myself?
I stared up at the bar.
I waited so long that a few of the guys started to walk back toward the station.
“Wait!” I said.
I wrapped my arms around one of the poles that held the crossbar, and I climbed. At the top, I grabbed the bar and swung out. A few splinters—but worth it.
There was a murmur of appreciation that I’d solved it.
I grasped the bar with my fists, hung there for a second, and then, very deliberately, when I had everyone’s attention, took one hand off the bar, lowered it, and planted it on my hip.
The whole group went silent.
I began. As I lifted myself up, one armed, I crossed my ankles and held myself in tight form. With each pull, I exhaled with a sharpshhand then inhaled as I let myself down. I could usually do seven, but I knew that today adrenaline would give me a little boost.
Eight one-hand pull-ups in quick succession.
And then an extra one for luck.
At the end, I dropped down and landed in a crouch. Then I stoodand took a minute to walk off the burn in my shoulder. When I turned around, no one had moved.
The guys were just staring at me, mouths open.
Then they broke into applause.
And started handing me money.
Which felt like a pretty good start to the day.
Ten
THAT NIGHT, ONmy cot in the storage room, it took me a long time to fall asleep. New place. New sounds. Lumpy cot. Sleeping wasn’t my greatest skill in the first place. Plus, there was a weird bug on the ceiling I had to keep an eye on.
