The Olympics

Today at work, the Contessa says out of the blue that she thinks that the Olympics are dangerous. Agree heartily. Feel very very strongly that 85 miles an hour is too fast to be going on one's own propulsion. The Contessa says, Exactly. Tell her that while watching the snowboarders flip, etc. was compelled to ask Dave, with genuine curiosity, whether or not They Were Afraid to Fall. He (who it must be noted, used to dive competitively) said that they are not so much afraid as Excited. Do not understand at all. She says, making her mouth into a line, that she thinks that sort of attitude can actually be cruel. For example, she when young (and presumably still) was afraid of doing somersaults. In fact she refused to do them. Her gym teacher -- the cruel example -- finally got fed up with her fear and once, while the contessa was in the preparative position, gave her a Shove which caused the Contessa to, forcibly, do the somersault, but also gave the Contessa a Neck Sprain. She had to wear a brace. Which, understandably, was neither becoming nor the ticket to popularity.