Gatlinburg Retreat College - Sophomore Year www.brianalba.com

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---- Once upon a time, Alba the little steam-engine wanted to ride on the sky lift in Gatlinburg. Now the little steam-engine Alba was a cheapskate, and didn't want to pay the $7.00 to ride on the lift. So, in an effort to impress his lady steam-engine friends, he decided to climb up to the top of the mountain in hopes that he could make the lift conductor at the top feel sorry enough for him that he’d get to ride the sky lift back down the mountain for free. ---- However, when he reached the first support tower, a big strong engine sitting on the lift-chair asked, “What are you doing climbing this mountain?” The little-engine Alba replied, "I’m going to try and get to the top to get a free ride!” The engine replied back, “You’re an idiot, you’ll never make it.” ---- Despite the animosity that the big strong engine showed him, he continued toward the top. Then, while chugging up the mountain, another engine passed him and chucked a glass beer bottle at him. The mean-engine mocked him for his efforts and shouted out, “You’re an idiot!” But the little-engine Alba continued up the mountain. ---- As the little-engine Alba neared the halfway point, he grew extremely tired from his trek up the mountain. Yet another steam engine passed him from above, but this time yelled out vulgarities and shouted, “Go back down the mountain, you’re an idiot!” But the little-engine Alba paid no attention to the unsympathetic comments by the other engines because he could hear his lady-engine friends cheering from the bottom of the mountain. ---- While the little-engine Alba climbed up the sheer cliffs, a teenage-engine hacked a big loogy at him and yelled, “Save yourself the effort, it’s worth the $7.00. You’re an idiot!” But the little-engine Alba was a man of principle. Driven by hormones, peer-pressure, and his little lady friends, he continued to climb the unforgiving mountain. ---- Soon, the little-engine Alba could no longer hear the encouraging chants of his little lady-engine friends. He then started to say to himself, “I think I can – I think I can – I think I can – I think I can – I think I can - I think I can.” ---- Now that the little-engine Alba was out of sight, the lady-engine friends eagerly awaited any sign that the little-engine Alba was still alive and hadn’t broken down on the mountain. ---- Finally, the little-engine Alba emerged from the top of the mountain, riding the sky lift. He celebrated the whole way down and enjoyed his FREE ride! ---- As the victorious little-engine Alba walked away from the mountain, he looked back on the sky lift from a distance and said, “I’m an idiot.”

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