I took a hike in the mountains and chose to go off the beaten path. About an hour into it I heard what sounded like chanting coming from ahead of me. A cult? I kept moving, excited and scared. I saw a large opening and ducked behind a bush. A group of men in white shirts and ties were chanting in a circle, arms raised, possibly praying to some god.
I could see tension in their faces. I took a step back and cracked a branch, causing them to whirl in my direction. I was too tired to run and had left my pepper spray home. I moved out into the clearing so they could see I was harmless. The leaders approached.
"Don't hurt me. I'm just a hiker off the beaten path."
"Do not fear us. We are engineers in charge of fixing the Pulaski Skyway. We are praying for guidance. We hope drivers stuck in traffic won't eradicate us. We have families." I understood and actually joined them in prayer. Sweat stains under their armpits did not decrease my admiration.
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