I misty rain had made the wooden beam wet, but not yet slippery. I though that if I just moved fast I would be across before I looked down to see, on one side, the surface of the building dropping 50+ stories to the street below, and the other, crisscrossing beams below; the skeleton of the new construction laid bare. As I started across at a quick pace, I thought that bare feet would have made this easier. I could not feel the cold, the wet, or the grainy wood through the soles of my shoes. About 2/3 of the way across I wobbled... was that a gentle cross breeze, or just my body revolting... declaring mutiny on my mind. I looked down, fell to my stomach, and felt the wet through my shirt, the cold and grain on my chin. After a moment I got the nerve to sit up and balance. My heart raced ahead of me to the other side and waited for me to advance. Staying still was not an option. I gripped the wooden beam just ahead and pulled myself, jeans sliding easy against the moist surface. Again I slid. Again. One more and I was touching the other side... a platform of metal bolted on top of the beam. Then the thought, "How am I going to get up there?" I had no plan for that from this position. Catching my breath, I awoke to my bed.
Skyscraper Balance Beam