It is that time again where the world becomes a single spectator for seventeen days. The Olympics open this Friday and are a spectacle so grand that the entire world stops for a moment to watch. For seventeen days, we watch the competition, the emotion, the determination, the courage, the joy, the heartache, the drama. As a former non-worldclass athlete, I can only dream of what it must be like to step on that podium and be heralded as the best in the world. To represent one’s country on such a grand stage must be a moment of a lifetime.
The competition is exciting and dramatic as it should be. However, the part of the television broadcasts that I enjoy most are the personal stories about the athletes. Every athlete has a unique and interesting story about who they are and how they became the best they can be. They all had major sacrifices and overcame huge obstacles. All have interesting character traits. They had support from various people and had their share of rivals who tried to keep them from realizing their dreams. They have finally made to the pinnacle of their sport, a few short days, hours, minutes, seconds, and even hundredths of seconds away from their goal. Still, there are obstacles to overcome and anti-heros from other countries to vanquish. Their life’s journey is coming to a climax!
Does this sound familiar?
Before you lies seventeen days of grist for the mill. If you cannot find a usable plot or character out of what you will hear and see,… well… you will. I have faith in you. Personally, I’m looking for someone I can love to hate. I know they’re out there. I just need to put my twisted hat on and tweak their life story a bit. Oh, I am so looking forward to it.
So Friday night, with pen and notebook in hand, I will in front of the tube looking for the perfect villain. I hope to hear about your finds in the near future.
Tales From The Hare 